Baku – Brussels: A new level of interaction Kallas affirms Azerbaijan’s strategic importance

On April 25, Kaja Kallas, the European Union's High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, visited Azerbaijan. This marks the first visit by an EU foreign policy chief to the country in nine years, drawing significant attention not only from the European community but also from certain Western circles advocating for Armenia's interests.

In the lead-up to the visit, an extensive anti-Azerbaijan campaign was launched in the European Parliament, orchestrated by the Armenian lobby. However, this did not influence the discussions or alter Kallas' positive outlook toward Baku.

Kallas's visit represents a pivotal moment for strengthening Azerbaijan's ties with the European Union and enhancing its standing on the global stage. During the visit, Kallas was received by President Ilham Aliyev, and key areas of cooperation between Azerbaijan and the EU were discussed.

President Ilham Aliyev highlighted that Azerbaijan has established itself as a reliable partner of the European Union, particularly emphasising the importance of the Southern Gas Corridor, which has been delivering gas to Europe consistently for the past four years.

Today, Azerbaijan supplies gas to 10 European countries, eight of which are EU members, making it one of the leading suppliers of natural gas to the Old Continent.

President Aliyev also noted the successful cooperation within the framework of the Southern Gas Corridor Advisory Council and the prospects in the field of renewable energy. Special attention was given to Azerbaijan’s role in the development of the Trans-Caspian Energy Corridor and the implementation of projects in the Black Sea involving Georgia, Romania, Hungary, and, more recently, Bulgaria. Additionally, the possibilities for expanding cooperation in the transportation sector were discussed.

For her part, Kaja Kallas confirmed the EU’s strong interest in further developing relations with Azerbaijan, recognising Baku's significance as a strategic partner in ensuring Europe’s energy security.

She also highlighted Azerbaijan's role as a leading force in the region, with its crucial geopolitical position.

This open recognition of Azerbaijan’s importance marks a shift in the European Union’s approach and signals a willingness to build new, pragmatic relations. This approach contrasts sharply with the previous anti-Azerbaijani policy pursued by former EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell.

Such a shift lays the groundwork for long-term, mutually beneficial cooperation, not only in energy but also in the resolution of the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict.

A key signal was Kaja Kallas’s statement expressing support for Azerbaijan and Armenia’s efforts to achieve sustainable peace.

“Armenia and Azerbaijan now have such an opportunity. I welcome the agreement reached on the text of the peace treaty and look forward to the next steps,” said the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs, Kaja Kallas, during a joint press conference with Azerbaijan’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Jeyhun Bayramov.

Kallas also reaffirmed the EU's continued support for demining efforts in Azerbaijan, an important initiative to address the consequences of landmine threats in the border areas.

Demining remains a significant challenge due to the lack of accurate landmine maps, a concern that President Ilham Aliyev has repeatedly raised at international forums.

In 2022, Azerbaijan proposed the creation of a Global Targeted Fund to combat the landmine threat, and EU support in this area is of great importance.

Issues of regional security and post-conflict settlement were at the forefront of the discussions between Kaja Kallas and Jeyhun Bayramov. This was their second meeting in a short period — the previous talks took place in December in Malta during the OSCE Foreign Ministers' meeting.

Azerbaijan’s Minister of Foreign Affairs once again confirmed Baku’s principled position: amending Armenia’s Constitution to remove territorial claims remains a necessary condition for signing a peace treaty.

Following the talks, Jeyhun Bayramov expressed confidence that Kaja Kallas’s visit would become an incentive for strengthening the partnership with the EU.

The Minister also reported an agreement to take concrete steps to finalise the new agreement between Azerbaijan and the European Union, which is 90-95% agreed upon.

"In recent years, there has been a stagnation in this matter. Today we discussed it again and agreed on practical steps to complete the agreement. The outstanding issues concern the economy and trade. The agreement may be supplemented at the next stage," noted Bayramov.

Thus, Kaja Kallas's visit to Baku can be considered an important milestone in the development of relations between Azerbaijan and the EU.

It is expected that the agreements reached will open a new chapter in bilateral cooperation and elevate it to a higher level—an objective pursued both in Baku and in Brussels.