The thesis presents a comprehensive and comparative analysis of geopolitical, diplomatic, security, military-technical, energy, trade, economic and humanitarian processes and factors that led to the formation of partnership relations between Azerbaijan and Ukraine and proposed definition of this concept. It is possible to clarify the role and place of the Azerbaijani-Ukrainian interstate partnership in the political structuring of the former Soviet Union. Reveals the genesis of partnership between the two countries and made periodization of formation its regulatory framework. Vectors analyzed of foreign policy priorities evolution of Azerbaijan and Ukraine at the regional and global levels, outlined the achievements and weak points of Azerbaijani-Ukrainian partnership and projected prospects for its optimization. Complementary nature of economic interests of official Baku and Kyiv makes Azerbaijan Republic a very profitable and attractive partner for Ukraine in the South Caucasus, especially because of its direct neighbors with the same rich in hydrocarbon resources Turkmenistan and Iran. In the South Caucasus and wider - Black Sea-Caspian Basin focused geopolitical, military-strategic, financial, economic and other interests of the leading global and regional actors and international organizations, especially after the beginning of the development and implementation of transit projects of Caspian energy resources to the EU through Ukraine and Georgia. evelopment of partnerships at the partnership level with Azerbaijan, Turkey and Georgia is consistent with the basic principles of the foreign policy of Ukraine, formulated in the Law of Ukraine on July 1, 2010. But by the end of 1990th the Black Sea-Caspian vector of Ukrainian foreign policy had secondary role compared to the West (EU and USA) and north-eastern (Russian Federation). This was due to several reasons: the armed conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan over Nagorno-Karabakh; civil war in Georgia; the crisis in the Russian North Caucasus; Romania's territorial claims to Ukraine; aggravation of the Transnistrian conflict; problem of the Black Sea Fleet in the Ukrainian-Russian relations, etc. In addition, in the first years of independence, Azerbaijan and Ukraine tried to establish close relations with the West to get out of the "shadow of Russia". But setting up an integrated and comprehensive development of Azerbaijani-Ukrainian partnership allows at least partially solve one of the most acute problems of Ukrainian foreign (and domestic) policy - critical dependence on Russian energy imports. However, formation of the political axis "Baku - Kyiv" certainly helps optimize power balance within the CIS and the former Soviet Union in general, contributes to formation of a system of checks and balances to excessive geopolitical influence of official Kremlin, for restriction its scope of acceptable civilized frameworks. Finally, the Azerbaijani-Ukrainian interstate partnership, in the case of involvement of Georgia, would provide a reduction of military tension in the Black Sea-Caspian region. With the setting up of a successful Azerbaijani-Ukrainian partnership both countries were able to consolidate and develop their common efforts to breakthrough to the West: connection to NATO's "Partnership for Peace", the intensification of cooperation on the basis of GUAM and forcing bilateral communication projects "Silk Road" preparation to conclude association agreements with the European Union. The coincidence of political and economic interests created fertile ground for strategic cooperation between both countries in specific areas (political, diplomatic, military, technical, economic, cultural, etc.), especially considering the presence in Ukraine and numerous and noticeable Azerbaijani Diaspora.
