President Aliyev: Azerbaijan-EU relations enter new active phase Statement for press

President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev said relations between Azerbaijan and the European Commission have entered a particularly active phase, underscoring the strategic importance of cooperation in trade, energy, and transport during joint press statements with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, AZERTAC reports.

"We have a very active phase of relationship between European Commission and Azerbaijan,” Aliyev said.

The Azerbaijani leader emphasized that Baku attaches great importance to its ties with the European Union.

"We highly value the relationship with the European Commission,” he said.

Aliyev noted that the European Union remains Azerbaijan's largest trading partner, highlighting the country's leading economic role in the South Caucasus.

"More than 40% of our trade is with member states, and for European Union, Azerbaijan is the main trading partner in the Southern Caucasus,” he said.

The president added that almost 70% of the South Caucasus' total trade is conducted with Azerbaijan, underscoring the country's significance in the region's economy.

Energy cooperation featured prominently in Aliyev's remarks, with the president stressing Azerbaijan's growing role in Europe's energy security.

"Half of our gas export goes to the European Union member states,” he said.

"Today 10 members of the European Union import gas from Azerbaijan, and there are opportunities to expand this geography," the President of Azerbaijan added.

Aliyev described energy security as an increasingly critical component of national security, highlighting Azerbaijan's long-term investments in energy infrastructure.

"Energy security for every country is today a very important factor of national security, and Azerbaijan invested a lot its political efforts, diplomatic activity, and also financial investments in building infrastructure for transportation of our oil and gas,” he said.

President Aliyev also pointed to the Southern Gas Corridor as a flagship example of successful cooperation between Azerbaijan and the European Union.

"The Southern Gas Corridor is a remarkable example of our common activity."

Turning to transport connectivity, Aliyev said Azerbaijan continues to strengthen its position as a regional logistics hub.

"Today, the volume of cargo through Azerbaijan in all directions is growing,” he said.

"We invested largely in transportation infrastructure in Azerbaijan and in the neighborhood, and are continuing to do it,” the head of state emphasized.