Italy and Azerbaijan have reaffirmed their partnership in the energy sector during Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s visit to Baku, highlighting the importance of stable alliances amid ongoing geopolitical tensions, Euronews reported.
The visit comes as Italy seeks to diversify energy sources following disruptions linked to regional tensions, including the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.
Speaking alongside Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, Meloni said stronger cooperation was needed amid growing instability across the Middle East. She described relations between the two countries as a «certainty» and emphasized Azerbaijan’s role in supporting Italy’s energy security since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022. With bilateral trade reaching €10.2 billion, Italy is Azerbaijan’s largest trading partner.
Meloni also expressed support for Azerbaijan becoming an energy hub between Europe and Asia, with Italy acting as a gateway to European markets. Given the strong demand for fossil fuels in Europe, Azerbaijan already has plans to expand its energy exports. This would require the expansion of the Trans-Adriatic Pipeline, which transports gas through Turkey, Greece and Albania to southern Italy.
The two countries cooperate not only in the energy sector. Italy’s prime minister also confirmed that the country had temporarily relocated its embassy in Iran to Baku, thanking Azerbaijan for assisting in the evacuation of Italian citizens after U.S.-Israeli military actions against Iran.
