European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has traveled to Baku for talks with Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev, opening a two-day visit to the South Caucasus that underscored the European Union's growing strategic interest in a region it increasingly sees as central to its energy security and stability.
The trip fits into a broader EU effort to reduce its dependence on Russia. Since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the bloc has worked to diversify its energy supply, and Azerbaijan has become an important source, with several member states already importing natural gas from the country.
Von der Leyen described Azerbaijan as a key partner for the 27-member bloc, pointing to its role in supporting Europe's energy security at a time of geopolitical uncertainty. Since the two sides signed a strategic energy partnership in 2022, their cooperation has expanded beyond gas to include renewable energy and digital infrastructure.
The visit also spotlighted the region's role as a trade artery. Officials highlighted the growing importance of the so-called Middle Corridor, the Trans-Caspian route that links Europe with Central Asia and China while bypassing Russia, as an alternative path for goods and energy.
The EU arrived with financial commitments in hand. Under its Global Gateway initiative, the bloc said it would provide up to 200 million euros in grants for projects across the South Caucasus, funding it said had the potential to mobilize up to 2 billion euros in public and private investment.
Von der Leyen also announced a 20 million euro program aimed at supporting peace-building in the region, including demining, healthcare, rural development and backing for small and medium-sized enterprises, tying the economic push to efforts to stabilize a long-volatile area.
On the institutional side, the European Commission president said Brussels would propose launching an EU-Azerbaijan Connectivity Partnership, covering transport, energy and digital infrastructure, a framework meant to bind the two sides more closely together across several sectors.
The talks also touched on regional peace, with the two leaders discussing the Armenia-Azerbaijan peace process alongside energy cooperation and the wider strategic partnership. The stop in Baku formed part of a broader South Caucasus tour, signaling what analysts have described as Europe's return to the region amid new strategic realities.