Baku, July 2, 2026 – The Europe Today: President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev and President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen reaffirmed the strength of Azerbaijan-European Union relations during an expanded meeting held in Baku on Tuesday, with discussions focusing on regional peace, connectivity, and energy cooperation.
During the meeting, Ursula von der Leyen described Azerbaijan as a strategic partner of the European Union and said bilateral relations continue to develop on a solid foundation.
She also commended President Ilham Aliyev’s leadership in advancing the regional peace agenda, praising his role as an initiator of efforts aimed at promoting lasting peace and stability in the South Caucasus.
The two sides welcomed the ongoing normalization of relations between Azerbaijan and Armenia and expressed support for the establishment of a durable peace. They also discussed prospects for expanding bilateral trade, including the export of Azerbaijani oil and petroleum products to Armenia and the transit of goods from third countries to Armenia through Azerbaijani territory.
Von der Leyen reaffirmed the European Union’s readiness to provide comprehensive support for the peace process between Azerbaijan and Armenia.
The meeting also highlighted Azerbaijan’s growing role in strengthening regional connectivity between Central Asia and Europe, with both sides emphasizing the strategic importance of transport and logistics cooperation.
President Aliyev and the European Commission President reviewed the successful energy partnership between Azerbaijan and the European Union, underscoring Azerbaijan’s significant contribution to Europe’s energy security.
The two leaders praised Azerbaijan as a reliable energy partner, particularly following the substantial increase in Azerbaijani natural gas exports to European Union member states since 2022, and reaffirmed their commitment to further expanding cooperation in the energy sector.
