Germany turns to Azerbaijan as Berlin rethinks regional strategy Article by TRT WORLD

Germany is deepening ties with Azerbaijan as it seeks new energy supplies, trade routes and greater economic security after ending its reliance on Russian energy, TRT World reports.

The article by Ayşegül Çolak sheds light on what is behind Berlin's new approach.

Caliber.Az presents the article:

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev visited Berlin in July, where he held talks with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier. The visit culminated in a Joint Declaration on a “Strategic Agenda for the Bilateral Partnership” and the establishment of an Economic Council.

The visit followed a series of high-level EU engagements with Baku earlier this year, including a visit by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen in July and European Council President Antonio Costa in March. The contacts reflected the EU’s growing attention to the South Caucasus.

Germany’s reassessment of its regional partnerships has been driven largely by the Russia-Ukraine war, which exposed Berlin’s heavy dependence on Russian energy and prompted a rapid policy shift.

Against this backdrop, Berlin’s growing interest in Azerbaijan reflects its search for alternatives to Russian energy and new connectivity routes through the South Caucasus.

Azerbaijan has become increasingly relevant to Germany’s regional strategy as several of Berlin’s priorities converge there, including diversifying energy supplies, developing overland links to Central Asia and supporting stability in the South Caucasus.

Gas from the Southern Gas Corridor began reaching Germany in early 2026 via the Trans Adriatic Pipeline and onward connections.

Azerbaijani officials have indicated that annual deliveries to Germany could reach around 2 billion cubic metres in the near term, giving Baku a more prominent role in Berlin’s energy diversification efforts.

At their joint press conference in Berlin, Merz described Azerbaijan as one of the few countries in the region with an energy surplus and said Germany was keen to diversify its imports, including gas.

Aliyev said Azerbaijan was prepared to increase supplies but stressed that additional volumes would require new interconnections and gas pipelines, along with European investment.

His response made clear that Baku was ready to expand supplies, but expected Europe to match its demand with long-term commitments, new infrastructure and investment.

Azerbaijan’s export profile helps explain Germany’s stronger engagement.

In 2025, Azerbaijan exported 25.2 billion cubic metres of gas, including 12.8 billion cubic metres to Europe, reinforcing its position as an established supplier to European markets.

Within five months of its first crude shipment to Germany, Azerbaijan exported more than 360,000 tonnes of oil and petroleum products worth roughly $210.9 million.

According to the author, Germany’s interest in Baku reflects Azerbaijan’s growing influence as an energy producer and transit country at a time when European governments are seeking to reduce their dependence on a limited number of suppliers and routes. In this context, the Middle Corridor, connecting China and Central Asia with Europe via Kazakhstan, the Caspian Sea, Azerbaijan, Georgia and Türkiye, is increasingly viewed in Berlin as a promising economic route.

More than 250 German companies operate in Azerbaijan across sectors including manufacturing, construction, logistics and energy.

Bilateral trade reached around €1.7 billion in 2025, with German exports of machinery and transport systems accounting for a significant share.

The EU has also committed substantial funding to connectivity projects in Central Asia and along the Middle Corridor, suggesting that the route forms part of a broader European strategy rather than being a marginal experiment.

The Joint Declaration signed in Berlin goes beyond trade and energy. It welcomes what the two sides describe as “historic progress” in Armenia-Azerbaijan relations, referring to the August 8, 2025 Washington Summit, where the parties initialled a peace agreement text in the presence of the United States.

Although Germany’s influence over the peace process remains limited, the decision to link its bilateral agenda with the peace track indicates that developments around Azerbaijan now have a more direct bearing on German policy than they once did.

Germany’s engagement with Azerbaijan has gained momentum as Russia’s war in Ukraine exposed the costs of Berlin’s earlier dependence on Russian energy and its limited attention to alternative regional partnerships.

Berlin’s growing recognition of Baku’s strategic relevance beyond a single policy area reflects a broader reassessment of its approach to the South Caucasus, particularly in discussions over energy security, industrial competitiveness and regional stability.

This does not amount to a complete strategic reset. It does, however, show that Germany is increasingly prepared to pursue pragmatic partnerships wherever they serve its energy and economic interests.

By Bakhtiyar Abbasov