BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 6. The official visit of President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev to Italy received significant coverage in leading media outlets, Trend reports.
Articles under the headline "Azerbaijan in talks to send gas to three more European countries" published by Bloomberg and the Financial Post state that Azerbaijan already supplies gas to a number of European countries and has an agreement with countries in the region to double exports by 2027.
In addition, the article cites the words of the head of state that Russia, Ukraine and European institutions have appealed to Azerbaijan in connection with the continuation of gas transit through the territory of Ukraine.
Articles published by Reuters, The Straits Times, WTVB, USNews, WTAQ, World Energy News and Aol note that President Ilham Aliyev is optimistic about a breakthrough in the talks between Moscow and Kyiv on the continuation of Russian gas supplies through Ukraine to a number of European countries. The materials draw attention to the fact that the European Union and Ukraine have asked Azerbaijan to facilitate negotiations with Russia on a gas transit agreement that expires at the end of this year.
"We have certain optimism because in recent context with both countries we think there is ground for a breakthrough," the head of state said.
The publications note that the President of Azerbaijan, who met with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni in Rome on Thursday as part of his third visit to the country since 2020, spoke at a forum in Cernobbio, Italy, which annually brings together businessmen and politicians in September to discuss geopolitical and economic prospects. As noted, although the EU has reduced most of its imports of Russian gas, some Central European countries, including Austria, still depend on gas from Russia via a pipeline passing through Ukraine.
"We now have ten countries receiving gas from Azerbaijan, seven of which are members of the European Union. That is probably why the European Commission calls Azerbaijan a pan-European gas supplier and a reliable partner," said President Ilham Aliyev.