EU Commission President Visits Azerbaijan... "Securing Alternative Resources to Russian Natural Gas"

[Image source=EPA Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunwoo Lee] Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Union (EU) Commission, is scheduled to visit Azerbaijan to secure alternative resources aimed at reducing dependence on Russian natural gas.

According to foreign media including the AP on the 17th (local time), the EU Commission stated on Twitter that "President von der Leyen and Kadri Simson, Commissioner for Energy Policy, will visit Azerbaijan in person to strengthen cooperation," adding, "As Russia continues to weaponize energy supplies, diversifying energy imports remains a top priority for the EU."

According to major foreign media, the EU Commission proposed an agreement on the 14th to increase natural gas imports from Azerbaijan and support pipeline expansion for this purpose. This is interpreted as part of efforts to reduce dependence on Russian natural gas and find alternative sources.

Previously, the EU announced a gradual oil embargo against Russia, and natural gas imports are also decreasing. Gas transportation from Russia via Poland has been halted, and gas transit through Ukraine has been steadily declining since Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Recently, concerns have grown that the Nord Stream 1 pipeline, directly connecting Russia and Germany, could be completely shut down, intensifying Europe's competition to secure alternative energy resources. The Nord Stream 1 pipeline is currently temporarily shut down for a ten-day scheduled inspection until the 21st, but there are fears that Russia may not resume operations after the inspection.

The Russian side has strongly denied these suspicions. On the 16th, Mikhail Ulyanov, Russia's ambassador to Austria in Vienna, emphasized on Twitter that "Russia has never refused to continue supplying natural gas to Europe and will fully comply with contractual obligations."