Azerbaijan Expands Energy and Security Ties with Europe at Dublin Summit
At the European Political Community summit in Dublin, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev announced plans to raise gas supplies to Europe and signed a strategic partnership declaration with the UK. He also met leaders of Ukraine, Armenia and several EU states.
Azerbaijan intends to increase and diversify its energy supplies to Europe beyond the 10 EU member states it currently serves. President Ilham Aliyev announced this on Thursday at the 9th European Political Community Summit in Dublin, a gathering of European leaders. His meeting with European Council President Antonio Costa focused on long-term energy contracts, which matters because Azerbaijan is a significant gas supplier to the EU.
Gas and EU relations
Aliyev said gas deliveries to the European Union have grown from 8 to 13 billion cubic meters, nearly half of Azerbaijan's gas exports. The pipeline from Baku to Italy crosses seven countries and is running at full capacity. With new fields discovered, Baku plans to raise volumes further. Cooperation also covers renewable energy: Azerbaijan, Georgia, Turkey and Bulgaria agreed on exporting it to European markets. Costa welcomed the resumption of negotiations on a new EU-Azerbaijan agreement and invited Aliyev to Brussels. The two also said the EU's assessment of the Nakhchivan railway project would be completed soon, and discussed the Middle Corridor linking Asia and Europe via the South Caucasus.
Agreement with the UK
Aliyev and British Prime Minister Andy Burnham signed a joint declaration on strategic partnership. It covers defence and security, trade and investment, renewable energy, infrastructure, artificial intelligence and other areas. The UK is the largest European investor in Azerbaijan's economy.
Ukraine and Armenia
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy discussed emergency support for Ukraine's energy grid ahead of winter with Aliyev. He confirmed contracts were signed under the bilateral drone agreement. Baku is providing a €1.35 million grid support package, and its total humanitarian aid to Ukraine has reached €48 million.
Aliyev also met Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan to discuss consolidating peace and the TRIPP connectivity project. Since November 2025, 105,000 tonnes of cargo have been transported to Armenia through Azerbaijan.
Aliyev also held talks, mainly on energy, with the leaders of Greece, Moldova, Romania, Bulgaria and the Czech Republic.
