Political

President Ilham Aliyev's participation in the 9th European Political Community (EPC) Summit, held on November 12 in Dublin, the capital of Ireland, is of great importance in terms of strengthening Azerbaijan's position in Europe's political, economic and security architecture. The results of the summit show that Azerbaijan is no longer merely an energy supplier and transit country for Europe, but also an important partner in regional stability, strategic connectivity and multilateral diplomacy.

The summit, held under the motto "Europe – Strong, Secure and Connected," focused on energy security, economic competitiveness, innovation, transport connectivity and regional security. The European Council's official statement also identified these areas as priorities for the continent's future resilience. The large-scale projects Azerbaijan is already implementing in these areas have made the Dublin summit a platform of particular political significance for Baku.

Azerbaijan's growing diplomatic influence and a new stage in relations with Europe

 

The numerous high-level meetings held by President Ilham Aliyev on the sidelines of the Dublin summit are a practical manifestation of Azerbaijan's growing international political weight. Contacts with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Moldovan President Maia Sandu, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, Bulgarian Prime Minister Rumen Radev, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babiš, Romanian President Nicușor Dan, Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda, European Council President António Costa and British Prime Minister Andy Burnham demonstrate the broad geographical scope of Azerbaijan's relations with European countries.

An important feature of this diplomatic activity is that the contacts are not merely ceremonial but are based on concrete political and economic interests. European countries approach relations with Azerbaijan from the perspective of energy supply, regional security, diversification of transport networks and new investment opportunities.


 

President Ilham Aliyev's high-level meetings at Davos, Munich and other international platforms also demonstrate the continuity of this process. The fact that several contacts have been organized at the initiative of the other parties can be regarded as an indication of Baku's growing diplomatic opportunities and increasing interest in direct dialogue with Azerbaijan's leadership.

The intensive contacts maintained with Azerbaijan over the past two years by EU High Representative Kaja Kallas, Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos, European Council President António Costa and other senior representatives of the European Commission demonstrate the development of relations at the institutional level.

António Costa's invitation to President Ilham Aliyev to visit the European Union during their meeting in Dublin is a concrete indication of the importance attached to continuing this dialogue.

The exchange of the Joint Declaration on Strategic Partnership with the United Kingdom on the sidelines of the summit represents a separate political outcome. The expansion of relations based on more than 30 years of energy cooperation to include artificial intelligence, high technologies, renewable energy and investment demonstrates the qualitative broadening of Azerbaijan's partnership model.

Energy security and transport corridors: Foundations of Azerbaijan's geoeconomic power

 

The agenda of the Dublin summit directly corresponds to the strategic advantages that determine Azerbaijan's international importance. Against the backdrop of Europe's efforts to diversify its energy sources and supply routes in particular, Azerbaijan stands out as a reliable and long-term partner.

According to information presented by President Ilham Aliyev during a roundtable discussion held on the sidelines of the summit, Azerbaijan has increased its annual gas supplies to the European Union from 8 billion cubic meters to 13 billion cubic meters since 2022. The country currently supplies natural gas to 10 EU member states. The head of state also particularly emphasized the importance of expanding the transmission capacity of the Southern Gas Corridor.

These figures demonstrate that the Azerbaijan-EU energy partnership has moved from the strategic memorandum signed in 2022 to concrete results. Nevertheless, alongside new production projects, infrastructure investment, long-term contracts and financing mechanisms will also be decisive for future growth.

Azerbaijan's advantages are not limited to conventional energy resources. The Caspian Sea's wind energy potential, solar power plants, green energy corridors with Central Asia and the project to lay an electricity cable along the Black Sea seabed could turn the country into a participant in Europe's future energy transformation.

At the same time, the Middle Corridor, East-West and North-South routes strengthen Azerbaijan's role in the Eurasian transport system. The development of these routes means not only increased transit revenues but also the strengthening of the country's position in international trade chains.

Discussions on the assessment of the Nakhchivan railway project, development of the Middle Corridor and export of renewable energy to the European market during the Dublin meeting with António Costa demonstrate that Azerbaijan's strategic projects are now part of the concrete cooperation agenda of European institutions.

Peace and security in the South Caucasus: Political outcomes of regional initiatives

 

One of the important aspects of Azerbaijan's participation in the European Political Community is the presentation of the new geopolitical realities emerging in the South Caucasus at the international level. President Ilham Aliyev's participation in the summits held in Prague in 2022, Moldova in 2023, the United Kingdom in 2024, and Tirana and Copenhagen in 2025 demonstrates consistent diplomatic activity in this direction.

The essence of this process is that, after ensuring its territorial integrity and sovereignty, Azerbaijan has shifted the main focus of the regional agenda toward peace, economic integration and the restoration of communication links.

The meeting between President Ilham Aliyev and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan at the Dublin summit demonstrates the continuity of this policy. Based on the agreements reached in Washington on August 8, 2025, the leaders discussed the peace process, border delimitation, economic and trade relations, as well as the railway and road components of the TRIPP project.

According to official information, the volume of cargo transported to Armenia through Azerbaijani territory has reached 105,000 tons. Cooperation on the interconnection of electricity grids and management of transboundary water resources was also among the important areas of discussion.

This point is of particular importance: Azerbaijan demonstrates that peace in the region can become sustainable not only through political agreements but also through the formation of mutual economic interests.

The implementation of TRIPP and other connectivity projects could expand transport links between mainland Azerbaijan and Nakhchivan, develop regional trade and enable closer integration of the South Caucasus into international transit networks.

At the same time, Azerbaijan's humanitarian assistance to Ukraine and its contribution to the energy security of Moldova and Bulgaria demonstrate that Baku approaches regional security not only from a military and political perspective but also from economic and humanitarian dimensions.

The European Political Community's foundation on equal dialogue among states provides Azerbaijan with an additional advantage in conveying its national interests directly to European leaders without relying on intermediaries.

Baku 2028: A strategic stage in Azerbaijan's multilateral diplomacy

 

Azerbaijan's hosting of the European Political Community Summit in May 2028 is one of the important outcomes of the strengthening of the country's international diplomatic position.

President Ilham Aliyev, joining the 8th summit held in Yerevan on May 4 via video link, announced that Azerbaijan's proposal to host the summit in 2028 had been accepted. The head of state stated that Armenia had also supported Azerbaijan's candidacy, describing this as an indication of the establishment of peace in the region.

The significance of the Baku summit is not limited to hosting a prestigious international event. The meeting will provide Azerbaijan with an opportunity to play a more active role in discussions on Europe's political and security agenda, establish new economic partnerships and present its regional initiatives at a high level.

One of Azerbaijan's advantages is that its foreign policy is not limited to the European direction. Developing relations with Central Asian countries, the Organization of Turkic States, the Islamic world and the CIS region strengthen Baku's role as a connecting link between different geopolitical and economic areas.

This multidimensional diplomacy expands Azerbaijan's room for maneuver in international relations, limits the country's dependence on individual centers of power and creates conditions for establishing partnerships based on national interests.

The gathering of European leaders in Baku in 2028 will also be another demonstration of Azerbaijan's international organizational experience and diplomatic capabilities gained in recent years.

The main strategic outcome of the Dublin summit is that Azerbaijan's transition to a new qualitative stage in its relations with Europe has become more evident. The independent and multi-vector foreign policy pursued under the leadership of President Ilham Aliyev has turned Azerbaijan into an important participant in energy security, Eurasian transport connectivity and the peace process in the South Caucasus. The main advantage for Baku is that these opportunities serve to protect national interests, strengthen economic potential and increase the country's political weight in international decision-making processes.

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