EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen Visits Azerbaijan and Armenia to Deepen South Caucasus Ties

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen arrived in Baku on 30 June 2026 for talks with President Ilham Aliyev, then travelled to Yerevan to meet Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan. The two-day trip is presented as a push to cement the EU’s role in the post-war South Caucasus, focusing on energy supplies, trade connectivity, and support for Armenia against Russian economic pressure.

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The visit follows the 2023 cease-fire that ended four decades of fighting over Nagorno-Karabakh. In March 2026, European Council President Antonio Costa met Aliyev in Baku, announcing a new framework for defence, security and digital cooperation. Von der Leyen’s trip is the first EU-level engagement with both capitals since that peace agreement.

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• Ursula von der Leyen – President of the European Commission, leading the diplomatic mission.

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• Ilham Aliyev – President of Azerbaijan, host for the first leg.

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• Nikol Pashinyan – Prime Minister of Armenia, meeting partner for the second leg.

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• Marta Kos – European Commissioner for Enlargement, co-chair of the EU Connectivity Agenda Platform.

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• Toghrul Mammadli – UN ECOSOC representative and Azerbaijani political analyst, commenting on trade figures.

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• 2022 – EU-Azerbaijan strategic energy partnership signed, expanding gas supplies via the Southern Gas Corridor.

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• March 2026 – Antonio Costa’s talks with Aliyev launch a defence-security-digital framework.

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• 30 June 2026 – von der Leyen’s visits to Baku and Yerevan, centred on four EU priorities.

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• May 2026 – Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni visits Baku, underscoring Italy’s position as the EU’s top importer of Azerbaijani gas.

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• Azerbaijan’s trade with the EU accounts for roughly 43 % of its total foreign trade.

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• In 2025, Azerbaijan exported 12.9 billion cubic metres of natural gas to Europe, over 50 % of its gas exports and about 8 % of the EU’s pipeline gas imports.

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• 16 European countries receive Azerbaijani gas; 10 are EU members, with Italy leading imports.

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• The Middle Corridor (Trans-Caspian International Transport Route) shortens the Europe-Asia rail link by ? 3 000 km compared with the Northern Corridor through Russia.

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The European Commission said the visit targets four priorities: supporting the 2023 peace process, improving regional connectivity with Europe and Central Asia, deepening economic partnership, and countering Russian economic coercion against Armenia. Commissioner Kos launched the EU Connectivity Agenda Platform to channel EU participation in Middle Corridor projects, describing the route as vital for secure trade, energy and digital links. The Commission also unveiled a support package for Armenian agri-food trade, responding to Moscow’s restrictions on Armenian agricultural exports and threats to cut Russian oil and gas supplies.

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• “Take a look at the plane map before and after the start of the recent war in Iran. Almost all planes started passing through the Caucasus. It's through here, the Middle Corridor, that we can secure our trade, energy and digital links,” — Marta Kos, European Commissioner for Enlargement

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• “this is the priority for the European Commission, securing our trade, energy and digital links via routes we can trust,” — Marta Kos

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• “Energy continues to be the cornerstone of this partnership. In 2025, Azerbaijan exported 12.9 billion cubic metres of natural gas to Europe, representing more than half of its total gas exports, while also supplying around 8% of the EU’s pipeline gas imports. These figures demonstrate Azerbaijan’s growing role as a reliable contributor to Europe’s energy security,” — Toghrul Mammadli, UN ECOSOC representative & Azerbaijani analyst

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• “I believe President von der Leyen’s visit will further strengthen mutual trust and provide fresh momentum for a pragmatic, forward-looking partnership that serves the long-term interests of both Azerbaijan and the European Union,” — Toghrul Mammadli

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• “the visit focuses on four priorities: supporting the peace process after last year's initialling of the historic peace agreement, improving connectivity across the region and with Europe and Central Asia, deepening our economic partnership with the South Caucasus, and supporting Armenia in the face of Russian economic coercion.” — European Commission statement

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The sources present a consistent set of figures and policy outlines; no contradictory data or major gaps were identified.

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Expanding Azerbaijani gas deliveries and promoting the Middle Corridor aim to diversify EU energy imports and create a reliable overland trade route that bypasses Russia and volatile Middle-East corridors. Support for Armenia seeks to mitigate Russian leverage and reinforce the EU’s strategic presence in a newly stabilized region.

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The EU will operationalize the Connectivity Agenda Platform, fund Middle Corridor infrastructure, and monitor the implementation of the Armenian agri-food support package. Further high-level dialogues are planned to assess additional energy projects and to consolidate the post-peace economic integration of Azerbaijan and Armenia.

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