EU Ready to Support Azerbaijan After Peace Deal: Kos

After the initialing of the peace agreement between Armenia and Azerbaijan, the South Caucasus region is undergoing profound changes, and at this historic moment, the European Union is ready to support Azerbaijan in raising relations to a new political level. This was stated in an exclusive interview with Trend agency by the EU Commissioner for Enlargement, Marta Kos, summarizing the results of her visit to Baku in September.

During her first official visit, the European Commissioner met with the President of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, congratulating him on his "leadership in the peace process." Kos stated that the EU is ready to provide up to 23 million euros to support demining efforts. Kos stressed that in the current geopolitical context, transport links have acquired a much greater political significance for both the EU and Azerbaijan. "The full potential of the region can be unlocked by connecting Central Asia and Europe. For the first time in a long time, the prospect of trade routes from Europe to Central Asia through the South Caucasus is becoming a reality," she noted. In this context, according to the European Commissioner, Azerbaijan is a key partner in the Trans-Caspian Transport Corridor (Middle Corridor). For this purpose, high-level forums and ministerial meetings will be held in Brussels in the coming months to attract private investment.

Referring to the Armenian-Azerbaijani peace process, Marta Kos welcomed the initialing of the agreement's text in Washington, considering it an important step towards a stable peace. She emphasized that one of the key elements of the agreement is the commitment to expand transport and logistics links, which will not only strengthen connections within the region but also bring Europe closer to the South Caucasus and Central Asia.

During the interview, Kos also strongly condemned Russia's strikes against the infrastructure of Azerbaijan's state oil company (SOCAR) in Ukraine, calling them "completely unacceptable" and another step in Russia's ongoing aggression.

Concluding her speech, the European Commissioner noted that peacemaking and the development of transport links remain the main priorities for future cooperation with Azerbaijan. She also sees great potential for deepening cooperation in areas such as climate, environment, education, and trade.