Von der Leyen: Azerbaijan to integrate its energy system with EU

Azerbaijan will integrate its energy system with the European Union, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said during a joint statement with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev in Baku, Report informs.

"Azerbaijan has proven to be a reliable, trusted energy partner to the European Union. We have not forgotten that at a time when Russia weaponized energy and turned off the gas for Europe, Azerbaijan stepped up. The Southern Gas Corridor indeed strengthened Europe's energy security, and it is a remarkable success story. And I want to thank you for that.

Now we are preparing the next chapter.

Azerbaijan is investing in the energy of the future, such as your plans to develop offshore wind energy in the Caspian Sea. You have both the ambition and, of course, the potential to become a hub for clean electricity. And this fits perfectly with Europe's own clean transition.

So we see enormous potential to deepen the cooperation on renewables, on electricity interconnections, and on regional energy networks. We welcome your plans to build a green energy corridor linking Azerbaijan with the European Union.

Greater renewable generation can also free up more gas for export and thus help reinforce regional energy security by sharing with the neighbors. We very much welcome also your suggestion of an electricity cable to Armenia. This is a very interesting point," she noted, adding that it is a very important step for the future.