Azerbaijan is set to increase and diversify its energy supplies to Europe beyond the current 10 EU member states, President Ilham Aliyev announced on Thursday during the 9th European Political Community Summit in Dublin.
Aliyev held talks with European Council President Antonio Costa to discuss long-term energy contracts in the context of continuing successful cooperation in gas supplies. Costa declared that the resumption of negotiations on a new EU-Azerbaijan agreement is good news for our citizens, adding that this has been an important year for bilateral relations with peace between Azerbaijan and Armenia now a reality.
Aliyev said Azerbaijan increased its gas supplies to the European Union from 8 billion cubic meters to 13 billion cubic meters, accounting for nearly half of its exports, and plans further increases following new field discoveries. The gas pipeline stretching from Baku to Italy and supplying 10 EU member states via Bulgaria is operating at full capacity, with Baku intending to continue expanding its capacity.
Cooperation is also focusing on renewable energy, with Aliyev highlighting an agreement reached between Azerbaijan, Georgia, Turkey and Bulgaria on exporting renewable energy to European markets. Costa and Aliyev discussed transport links within the global Middle Corridor project, and Costa invited Aliyev to Brussels to continue discussions on energy supply and security.
Aliyev and British Prime Minister Andy Burnham signed a Joint Declaration on Strategic Partnership focusing on defence and security cooperation, expanding trade and investment, renewable energy, infrastructure, artificial intelligence and advanced technology. The UK is the largest European investor in Azerbaijan's economy, historically driven by BP's Caspian operations.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy held a detailed discussion with Aliyev focusing on emergency support for Ukraine's battered energy grid ahead of the harsh winter and post-conflict reconstruction strategies. Zelenskyy confirmed that contracts were signed under the ongoing bilateral Drone Deal, and thanked Aliyev for humanitarian assistance as officials confirmed an ongoing 1.35 million euro emergency grid support package from Baku, bringing total Azerbaijani aid to Ukraine to 48 million euros.
Aliyev also held new talks with Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan on advancing their peace consolidation, border delimitations, water cooperation, interconnection of electricity grids and confidence-building measures, alongside discussing the progress of the Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity connectivity project. Additionally, Aliyev met with Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, Moldovan President Maia Sandu, Romanian counterpart Nicusor Dan, Bulgarian Prime Minister Rumen Radev and Czech Prime minister Andrej Babis to discuss energy and connectivity projects.
Source: Euronews. Read the original report ↗