Azerbaijan’s energy export capacity makes it a key node in the expanding East-West trade corridor. But Baku is also emerging as a hub for North-South trade, as reflected by its significant jump in exports to Russia. Azerbaijan’s State Customs Committee reported that the country’s Russia-bound exports increased in 2023 by almost 23 percent, reaching $1.2 billion. Imports from Russia rose 16 percent, topping $3.2 billion. The bulk of Azeri exports to its northern neighbor were non-energy-related goods. While Russia has maintained a relatively strong trade relationship with Azerbaijan since the S…