High-profile debates in the European Parliament: MEPs recognize Azerbaijan’s strategic role for Europe

During debates on Azerbaijan’s decision to suspend cooperation with Euronest, members of the European Parliament made a number of statements in support of Baku and acknowledged its strategic importance for Europe, Minval Politika reports.

Kristen Tey, a representative of the European Conservatives and Reformists Group, said that the European Parliament had made a mistake by using a resolution on Armenia to attack Azerbaijan.

“Azerbaijan and Armenia have gone through several wars over the past 35 years, but now they are finally working together rather than against each other, and are making real efforts toward reconciliation and the signing of a peace treaty,” he noted.

According to the MEP:

“Azerbaijan is not just another partner of the European Union. Azerbaijan is vital for Europe’s energy security and transport connectivity.”

He emphasized:

“Azerbaijan helped Europe reduce its dependence on Russian gas and energy resources, and also supplied fuel and humanitarian aid to Ukraine. These are concrete actions, not just statements.”

Tey also said:

“Azerbaijan has become a key gateway connecting Europe and Central Asia through the Caspian region and the Middle Corridor.”

He added:

“Pushing away countries like Azerbaijan is not just irresponsible; it is geopolitical self-destruction.”

Thierry Mariani, representing the French delegation, said:

“Today, we are at a historic moment. President Aliyev’s Azerbaijan and Prime Minister Pashinyan’s Armenia are negotiating in the same way that de Gaulle and Adenauer once negotiated friendship between France and Germany.”

According to him:

“This is the kind of reconciliation that many considered impossible, but it is now happening in the Caucasus.”

Mariani emphasized:

“Peace in the Caucasus will be achieved not through interference by the European Parliament, but through negotiations within the region itself.”

MEP Tomasz Froelich criticized the EU’s policy toward Baku.

“Azerbaijan is tired of the European Parliament’s moral lectures. And I understand them,” he said.

He noted:

“Pipeline gas from Azerbaijan is something European industry simply cannot do without.”

According to Froelich:

“We ourselves gave up Russian gas, while American LNG is significantly more expensive. If we continue playing this way with Azerbaijan, it will become the final blow to Europe’s energy security.”

Angéline Furet, a representative of the Patriots for Europe group, said:

“The U.S. administration managed to create a transit corridor that takes into account the priorities of both Azerbaijan and Armenia.”

She emphasized:

“They managed to create a reality that even Iran can live with, despite its extremely painful attitude toward border issues.”

According to the MEP:

“A new strategic route is now being formed — a peaceful route that is effectively controlled by American capital.”

MEP Dan Barna also acknowledged Baku’s growing role for the EU.

“Azerbaijan is becoming an increasingly important partner of the European Union. This is a reality,” he said.

He added:

“We have the same view on issues of energy and regional connectivity.”

MEP Lukas Sieper noted the contradictory nature of EU policy toward Baku:

“We cannot simultaneously tell a country: you are an indispensable strategic partner of Europe, while at the same time politically showing that it is outside the community of acceptable states.”

According to him:

“Then we should not be surprised that the world stops taking European diplomacy seriously.”