Azerbaijan ready to supply gas to Ukraine, expand energy partnership, foreign minister says
Azerbaijan is prepared to supply natural gas to Ukraine if needed and expand cooperation in energy security, including through the use of Ukraine's underground gas storage facilities.
Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov expressed his country's willingness to supply gas to Ukraine and enhance their energy partnership, according to a joint press conference in Kyiv with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha. Energy cooperation is a crucial component of the economic ties between Azerbaijan and Ukraine, with SOCAR, the State Oil Company of the Azerbaijan Republic, playing a significant role in the Ukrainian market for decades. Both countries are actively engaged in discussions on various aspects of energy cooperation.
Ukraine's underground gas storage system, the largest in Europe, is a valuable asset that Azerbaijan can utilize to strengthen energy security across the continent. With Azerbaijan supplying gas to 16 countries, including 12 in Europe, 10 of which are EU member states, there is ample potential for increased cooperation. The minister emphasized that Azerbaijan is prepared to supply gas to Ukraine if necessary, and that their energy partnership can extend beyond mere volume to include geography and security.
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev recently stated that natural gas exports to the European Union have increased by 65% since the onset of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, further highlighting Azerbaijan's role in the region's energy landscape.
Written by urgent.news from Ukrinform - Economy's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
