Brussels – The President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, met with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev in Baku on 1 July to discuss regional cooperation, energy, and peace in the South Caucasus. The focus of the meeting was the launch of a €200 million connectivity package in the form of grants, aimed at mobilising up to €2 billion in public and private investment in the region. A further €20 million will be allocated to peace programmes in local communities in Armenia and Azerbaijan, with initiatives in healthcare, mine clearance, training, and support for local businesses. Von der Leyen announced the launch of the EU-Azerbaijan Connectivity Partnership and a High-Level Dialogue on transport, energy, and digitalisation. Among the concrete projects is a feasibility study for the Nakhchivan railway, launched in January in collaboration with the EBRD. A ministerial conference on investment in regional connectivity is also planned for Baku by the end of 2026.
Article written with the assistance of AI.
