انجمن ژئوپلیتیک ایران فصلنامه بین المللی ژئوپلیتیک 1735-4331 22 2 2026 06 22 Analyzing the Common Identity Factor in Turkey-Azerbaijan Strategic Relations Before and After the 2020 War Analyzing the Common Identity Factor in Turkey-Azerbaijan Strategic Relations Before and After the 2020 War 365 388 246234 10.22034/igq.2025.530288.2060 FA Nelli Minasyan Associate Professor, Research Fellow, Department of Strategic Research of the Countries Adjacent to Armenia and Near Abroad at the Institute for Armenian Studies of YSU, Yerevan, Armenia. 0000-0002-1372-111X Narek Grigoryan Associate Professor, The head of the RA National Security Research and Forecasting Group at the Institute for Armenian Studies of YSU, Yerevan, Armenia. 0000-0002-3110-8255 Journal Article 2025 09 02 <span>This research analyzes the role of the common identity factor in shaping Turkey-Azerbaijan strategic relations, examined within the framework of the pre and post 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh war context. The formation of this common identity factor is grounded and deeply rooted in ethnic, linguistic, cultural, and historical affinities shared by the two countries. The central argument is that the notion of a shared identity – embodied in the ideological and value-based formulation of “one nation, two states” – has significantly contributed to the evolution of bilateral alliance-building between the two countries. Both before and after the 2020 war, the factor of common identity has consistently served as one of the foundational pillars of strategic cooperation between Turkey and Azerbaijan, both prior to and following the 2020 conflict. Moreover, the study highlights how this identity narrative has been extended beyond bilateral ties to support broader Turkic integration initiatives involving both Turkish-Azerbaijani ties and relations with other Turkic-speaking states.</span> <span>This research analyzes the role of the common identity factor in shaping Turkey-Azerbaijan strategic relations, examined within the framework of the pre and post 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh war context. The formation of this common identity factor is grounded and deeply rooted in ethnic, linguistic, cultural, and historical affinities shared by the two countries. The central argument is that the notion of a shared identity – embodied in the ideological and value-based formulation of “one nation, two states” – has significantly contributed to the evolution of bilateral alliance-building between the two countries. Both before and after the 2020 war, the factor of common identity has consistently served as one of the foundational pillars of strategic cooperation between Turkey and Azerbaijan, both prior to and following the 2020 conflict. Moreover, the study highlights how this identity narrative has been extended beyond bilateral ties to support broader Turkic integration initiatives involving both Turkish-Azerbaijani ties and relations with other Turkic-speaking states.</span> https://journal.iag.ir/article_246234_628f291494ad43eb2a9f36955ec48578.pdf