Azerbaijan added additional thrust to its engagement with Europe announcing more energy to the EU, a strategic partnership with the UK, additional agreements with Ukraine, a dozen bilateral meetings with European leaders and a new meeting with Armenia to advance the historic peace process.
Azerbaijan is set to increase and diversify its energy supplies to Europe, beyond the current 10 EU member states, Azerbaijan’s president Ilham Aliyev announced on Thursday during the 9th European Political Community Summit in Dublin.
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Aliyev held talks with European Council President Antonio Costa during the EPC summit to discuss the long-term energy contracts “in the context of continuing successful cooperation between Azerbaijan and the European Union in gas supplies,” an Azerbaijani presidency statement said, while Costa declared that “the resumption of negotiations on a new EU-Azerbaijan agreement is good news for our citizens.” The EU-Azerbaijan Strategic Partnership in the Field of Energy was established in 2022.
Commenting on the meeting, Costa emphasized the two-way benefits the EU-Azerbaijan cooperation declaring that “this has been an important year for EU-Azerbaijan relations,” adding that “with peace between Azerbaijan and Armenia now a reality, the EU is also investing to ensure that people across the region benefit.”
Aliyev said that Azerbaijan increased its gas supplies to the European Union from 8 billion cubic meters to 13 billion cubic meters, which accounts for nearly half of Azerbaijan’s exports, and that with the discovery of new fields, the South Caucasus country plans to increase gas supplies further.
The cooperation is now also focusing on renewable energy, a strategic national objective for Azerbaijan, with Aliyev highlighting the agreement reached between Azerbaijan, Georgia, Turkey and Bulgaria on exporting renewable energy to the European markets.
Azerbaijan’s president said that the gas pipeline stretching from Baku to Italy, passing through the territories of seven countries and supplying 10 European Union member states via interconnectors in Bulgaria, was currently operating at full capacity, and that Baku intends to continue expanding its capacity.
Costa and Aliyev also said that the European Union’s assessment of the Nakhchivan railway project would be completed soon and that they discussed the developments of transport links and connectivity within the global Middle Corridor project connecting Asia to Europe through the South Caucasus and Central Asia towards the Black Sea, a fast-developing alternative to the Strait of Hormuc crisis for the global supply lines.
Costa invited Aliyev to Brussels to continue the discussions on EU-Azerbaijan’s cooperation given the South Caucasus country’s role in Europe’s energy supply and security.
Strategic partnership with the UK
Azerbaijan’s president Ilham Aliyev and British Prime Minister Andy Burnham signed a Joint Declaration on Strategic Partnership between Azerbaijan and the United Kingdom.
With the UK being the largest European investor in Azerbaijan’s economy, historically driven by BP's Caspian operations, the new strategic framework focuses on defence and security cooperation, expanding trade and investment, renewable energy, infrastructure as well as artificial intelligence, advanced technology and others.
British officials said relations have now reached a historic milestone and both leaders committed to expanding mutual trade, defence cooperation, and private-sector investment ties under the new accord.
With Russia watching on, the UK and Azerbaijan agreed to “strengthening cooperation in defence and security in support of regional peace and stability” (...) “across a broad spectrum of security priorities, in response to evolving security challenges and threats.”
The two sides also agreed to “support the development of the Middle Corridor, alongside transport, logistics and infrastructure projects that facilitate cross-border trade and investment.”
Securing the Ukrainian grid and drone agreements
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy held a “detailed discussion” with President Aliyev during the EPC summit, 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 so-called “Drone Deal,” an ongoing bilateral drone agreement, saying that “we are working to scale up orders,” adding that “relations between our countries are developing.”
Zelenskyy also thanked Aliyev for Azerbaijan's humanitarian assistance as officials confirmed an ongoing €1.35 million emergency grid support package from Baku, comprising heavy electrical equipment and generators.
Total Azerbaijani humanitarian aid to Ukraine has now reached €48 million, focusing on civilian energy infrastructure and medical rehabilitation.
Ukraine’s president also noted that Kyiv is closely analysing Azerbaijan's post-conflict reconstruction across Karabakh and the East Zangezur regions, as the Ukrainian government views Baku's massive infrastructural overhaul as a viable blueprint for its own eventual post-war recovery.
The two leaders also discussed expanding economic and trade relations, including private-sector economic cooperation, with Zelenskyy saying that “we value the fact that companies are staying and continuing to work for our people, often despite Russia’s vile attacks.”
Advancing Armenia-Azerbaijan peace process
Building on their historic peace process, Azerbaijan’s president Ilham Aliyev held new talks with Armenian prime minister Nikol Pashinyan on advancing their peace consolidation, border delimitations, water cooperation and interconnection of electricity grids as well as more confidence-building measures.
The two leaders also discussed the progress of the Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity (TRIPP) connectivity project, including the planning of its railway and highway components.
Since November 2025, a total of 105,000 tonnes of cargo have been transported to Armenia through the territory of Azerbaijan.
Broadening European engagement
President Aliyev met with Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis for talks on upgrading the Southern Gas Corridor's infrastructure in the context of Azerbaijani-Greek bilateral relations, anchored by the Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP).
Aliyev also held talks with Moldovan President Maia Sandu on energy cooperation and on strengthening Moldova’s energy security as well as economic and trade ties with a particular focus on the agricultural sector.
Azerbaijan’s president met his Romanian counterpart Nicusor Dan for the first time to discuss energy and connectivity projects, focusing on linking the Caspian and the Black Seas.
Dan said in a post on X that “we focused on deepening our Strategic Partnership, advancing key energy and connectivity projects, and pursuing an ambitious shared political and economic agenda,” adding that “our cooperation, linking the Caspian and the Black Sea, has strong potential to grow.”
Aliyev also held energy talks with Bulgaria’s prime minister Rumen Radev and Czech prime minister Andrej Babis.