Baku: Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, in a recent interview with Al-Arabiya TV channel, discussed the historical division of Azerbaijan during the early Soviet era and highlighted the strategic significance of the Zangezur corridor, also referred to as the Trump Route. The discussion was prompted by a question concerning the realization of the Azerbaijani dream through this corridor.

According to Azeri-Press News Agency, President Aliyev elaborated on the historical context, stating that after the Russian Empire's collapse in 1917, Azerbaijan established the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic in May 1918. It was the first democratic republic in the Muslim world. However, this republic lasted only until April 1920, when the Russian army invaded and occupied Azerbaijan. The Bolshevik revolutionaries, who had promised land to farmers and freedom to people, ultimately annexed Azerbaijan's sovereignty.

President Aliyev further explained that in November 1920, just months after the occupation, the Soviet Russian government decided to transfer Zangezur, known as Western Zangezur, from Azerbaijan to Armenia. This decision resulted in Azerbaijan being split into two regions: the mainland and Nakhchivan, with Western Zangezur situated in between. The President emphasized the strategic importance of the Zangezur corridor in potentially enhancing connectivity between Azerbaijan and Europe, underscoring its significance in fulfilling Azerbaijan's long-standing aspirations.