European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is expected to visit Azerbaijan on July 1 as part of a regional tour of the South Caucasus.
The visit will follow von der Leyen's trip to Armenia and will mark her first visit to Baku since July 2022, Caliber.Az reports per broadcaster AnewZ.
Talks are expected to focus on the current state of European Union-Azerbaijan relations, energy cooperation and regional developments, as Brussels seeks to deepen engagement with the South Caucasus.
Von der Leyen will be accompanied by European Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos during the regional visit, which comes as the European Union steps up efforts to strengthen transport, energy and digital connectivity along the Middle Corridor—a trade route linking Europe and Asia via the South Caucasus and the Caspian Sea.
Energy cooperation is expected to feature prominently on the agenda. During von der Leyen's previous visit to Azerbaijan in 2022, the European Union and Azerbaijan signed a strategic energy partnership aimed at increasing exports of Azerbaijani natural gas to the bloc as Europe sought to diversify its energy supplies.
By Sabina Mammadli
