By Azernews

By Ayya Lmahamad

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has said that the European Union has discussed with Azerbaijan and several other countries the possibility of increasing gas supplies, local media has reported.

"Our models for a partial disruption or further reduction of gas supplies by Gazprom now show that we are now rather in a safe situation," she said.

She noted that the EU has discussed with Azerbaijan, the U.S., Qatar, Egypt, Nigeria and South Korea the possibility for an increase in supplies of both liquefied (LNG) and natural gas.

"We also had a conversation with the main LNG suppliers and asked if it would be possible to divert supplies to the benefit of the EU," she said.

The European Commission president said these efforts are paying off, recalling Japan's decision last week to redirect some LNG shipments to Europe in response to EU and U.S. requests.

Additionally, she stated that the development of the European energy infrastructure in recent years has improved the distribution of gas and electricity between countries, but the complete cessation of Russian gas supplies will still require additional measures.

The EU and Azerbaijan have cooperation in different fields of economy.

A joint statement on energy cooperation with the EU had been signed more than ten years ago. The EU-Azerbaijan energy cooperation had reached a new level and is still ongoing within the framework of the Southern Gas Corridor. The EU places a high value on energy supply diversification, and the Southern Gas Corridor is particularly important in this regard. In 2021, European countries purchased 8.2 billion cubic meters of gas, with an increase in volume expected in the coming years. 

The 8th ministerial meeting of the Southern Gas Corridor Advisory Council, held in Baku on February 4, reaffirmed Azerbaijan and the European Union's strategic energy partnership, which is based on shared goals for long-term energy security, supply security, and green energy transition.

To recall, Azerbaijan started commercial gas supplies to Europe through the Trans-Adriatic Pipeline (TAP) on December 31, 2020.

Earlier, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev in his interview stated that about 19 billion cubic meters of Azerbaijani gas will be exported in 2022. Of this volume, more than 8 billion cubic meters will be exported to Turkey and more than 7 billion cubic meters to Italy. The remaining gas will be divided between Georgia, Bulgaria, and Greece.