EU bets on Azerbaijan in energy and connectivity issues Euronews on Ursula von der Leyen’s visit to Baku / VIDEO

The President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, began her tour of the South Caucasus with a visit to Baku amid intensified EU engagement with the region on energy, connectivity, and regional stability issues, according to an article published on Euronews and cited by Caliber.Az. 

The article notes that as a part of the visit, the President of the European Commission met with the President of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, launching a two-day trip to the South Caucasus that highlighted the EU’s growing strategic interest in the region in its efforts to strengthen energy security, connectivity, and regional stability.

The author emphasised that the European Commission described the visit as part of ongoing high-level engagement with partners across the South Caucasus. At a joint press conference following the talks, the leaders focused on the peace process between Armenia and Azerbaijan, connectivity issues, energy cooperation, and the broader strategic partnership between Baku and Brussels.

Ursula von der Leyen called Azerbaijan a key partner for the EU, emphasising its role in ensuring Europe’s energy security amid geopolitical uncertainty.

“In recent years, Azerbaijan has proven to be a reliable, trusted energy partner to the European Union [...] The Southern Gas Corridor indeed strengthened Europe’s energy security, and it is a remarkable success story,” she said.

It is noted that the head of the EU executive body also welcomed progress in the peace process between Baku and Yerevan, stating that an agreement could open the door to broader regional cooperation. “You showed personal leadership in promoting peace and cooperation across the region. Together we can indeed turn peace on paper into peace in practice,” von der Leyen said.

The President of the European Commission also stated that the EU’s Global Gateway initiative will provide up to €200 million in grants for projects in the South Caucasus, which will help mobilise up to €2 billion in public and private investments. She announced a €20 million programme to support peace initiatives, including demining, healthcare, rural development, and support for small and medium-sized enterprises.

The article also cites remarks by the President of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev. “We have a very active phase of relationship between the European Commission and Azerbaijan. This is unprecedented dynamism in our relationship, which reflects the mutual view of all sides to intensify our cooperation and to strengthen partnership,” he said.

The President of Azerbaijan also referred to cooperation with the EU in the energy sector. “Today, half of our gas export goes to the member states of the European Union,” Aliyev said, adding that the Southern Gas Corridor had become “the main artery for transportation of natural gas from Azerbaijan to Europe.”

According to the article, the leaders identified connectivity as one of the key topics of discussion. Von der Leyen described the South Caucasus as a strategic crossroads linking Europe, the Caspian region, and Central Asia, while Aliyev pointed to Azerbaijan’s role in developing east–west and north–south transport corridors, as well as expanding cargo flows through the country.

The article concludes by noting that the EU has launched a broader strategy to strengthen ties with the South Caucasus and Türkiye, aiming to deepen cooperation in energy, transport, economic resilience, and regional stability.