The head of the European Commission confirmed interest in energy partnership with Baku

The European Union plans to scale up its partnership with Azerbaijan in the fields of energy, transport, and digital infrastructure, said Ursula von der Leyen at a meeting with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev in Baku.

The opportunities for rapid increases in gas production and export in Azerbaijan are limited by the capacities of existing fields and the Southern Gas Corridor, but in the coming years, the European Union can ensure its energy resilience by participating in Azerbaijani projects, including in "green energy," experts surveyed by "Caucasian Knot" stated in March.

The head of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, arrived in Azerbaijan on July 1 for a working visit. After negotiations with the country's president, Ilham Aliyev, and a meeting in an expanded format, they made statements to the press. A recording of the joint press conference was published on von der Leyen's official account on the social network X.

The head of the European Commission called Azerbaijan a reliable energy partner for the EU, which supported Europe after Russia used gas supplies as a tool of pressure. "The Southern Gas Corridor has significantly strengthened Europe's energy security," von der Leyen stated, in particular. She also noted that Azerbaijan is investing in the energy of the future and has the potential to become a "hub for clean electricity."

According to Ilham Aliyev, since the signing of the memorandum on strategic partnership in 2021, Azerbaijani gas exports to the EU have increased by almost 65%. Ten EU countries currently receive gas from Azerbaijan, and there is potential for expanding supplies. Overall, EU countries account for half of Azerbaijan's gas exports. At the same time, the European Union is the main trading partner of Azerbaijan. "More than 40 percent of our trade is with EU member states," Aliyev noted.

As part of the Global Gateway program, the European Union is ready to allocate 200 million euros in grants for connectivity projects in the Caucasus to attract up to 2 billion euros in public and private investments. Specific areas mentioned include the development of the Baku port and railway connections towards Nakhchivan. Separately, the EU announced a 20 million euro program to support peace initiatives in the region - these funds will be directed towards demining, healthcare, equipping ambulances, and supporting small businesses.

Following the meeting, von der Leyen congratulated Aliyev on the initialing of a peace document with Armenia. She called this event a historic step that "opens the way to stability, trust, and joint prosperity." Aliyev, in turn, stated that de facto peace between Azerbaijan and Armenia has already been established, but he demonstrated readiness to strengthen it. "Peace is a reality, but we need to work to make it more durable and sustainable," said the President of Azerbaijan.