European commission president Ursula von der Leyen is meeting Azerbaijani officials in Baku
on Monday, and is expected to close a deal to increase imports of natural gas to the EU.
The deal would help the EU reduce its reliance on Russian energy, and could also address
concerns over gas supplies after the Nord Stream 1 pipeline began scheduled maintenance last
week.
Work on the pipline from Russia to Germany is due to continue until the end of this week, but
the Russian Foreign Ministry said that the future of the pipeline was linked to sanctions against
Moscow.
According to a document seen by Reuters, the proposed deal between Baku and the EU would
increase gas flow into the bloc through the Southern Gas Corridor pipeline.
“The Sides aspire to support bilateral trade of natural gas, including through exports to the
European Union, via the Southern Gas Corridor, of at least 20 billion cubic metres of gas
annually by 2027, in accordance with commercial viability and market demand,” the document
said.
Last year, the pipeline transported 8 billion cubic metres of gas into the EU.
The increase would require Azerbaijan to increase its domestic gas production
