President of Azerbaijan since 2003. He led Azerbaijan's recapture of Nagorno-Karabakh from Armenia, first in a 44-day war in 2020 and then fully in 2023.
Aliyev has sought to assert Azerbaijan as an equal partner to Russia rather than a subordinate, challenging Moscow's view of the south Caucasus as its sphere of influence. He is backed by Turkey and Israel and has been contemplating joining the Abraham Accords.
After Donald Trump returned to power in 2025, Aliyev shut down what remained of independent media in Azerbaijan; around 100 journalists fled the country or are in jail. Every time someone is arrested, they must hand over their phone and computer; the government then releases personal photos found on them. Trump's family has business ties with the Azerbaijani elite, and Aliyev shrewdly endorsed Trump for a Nobel peace prize, which dulled American pressure to release political prisoners.
In peace negotiations with Armenia, Aliyev has demanded that Armenia hold a referendum to remove a residual claim to Nagorno-Karabakh from its constitution and grant Azerbaijan unimpeded access through southern Armenia to Nakhchivan, Azerbaijan's exclave. On August 8th 2025 Donald Trump brokered a peace declaration at the White House between Aliyev and Nikol Pashinyan; Armenia agreed to open an American-operated corridor to Nakhchivan on a 99-year lease. Trump waived 1992 sanctions on military co-operation with Azerbaijan and announced a "strategic partnership". The boss of SOCAR, Azerbaijan's state energy firm, signed a deal with ExxonMobil during the visit. The formal peace treaty was initialled but not signed; the constitutional referendum remains outstanding. Aliyev has indulged in irredentist rhetoric, including calling Armenia "West Azerbaijan", and had previously threatened to seize a transport corridor by force.
"I'd love to go out with you, but I have to stay home and see if I snore."