EU’s plans to double Azerbaijan’s gas delivery as Russian alternative sparks controversy

The EU’s plans to use Azerbaijan as a gas delivery alternative to Russia has sparked controversy online.

The EU and Azerbaijan latest gas plans as an alternative to Russia were discussed by Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Energy Commissioner Kadri Simson who met in Baku with President Ilham Aliyev and Azerbaijani Energy Minister Parviz Shahbazozov.

President von der Leyen and President Aliyev signed a new Memorandum of Understanding on a Strategic Partnership in the field of Energy.

The Union and Azerbaijan are also currently negotiating a new comprehensive agreement, which will strengthen cooperation in many areas, such as economic diversification, investment, trade and the full use of the potential of civil society, while stressing the importance of human rights and the rule of law.

The new Memorandum of Understanding on a Strategic Energy Partnership signed today by President von der Leyen and President Aliyev includes a commitment to double the capacity of the Southern Gas Corridor to supply the Union with at least 20 billion cubic metres annually by 2027, which will contribute to the diversification objectives of the REPowerEU Plan and help Europe end its dependence on Russian gas.

On the basis of enhanced energy cooperation, Azerbaijan is already increasing natural gas supplies to the Union from 8.1 billion cubic metres in 2021 to a projected 12 billion cubic metres in 2022.

Taking to Twitter President von der Leyen stated:

“The EU is turning to more reliable energy suppliers.Today I’m in Azerbaijan to sign a new agreement. Our goal: double the gas delivery from Azerbaijan to the EU in a few years.🇦🇿 will be a crucial partner for our security of supply and on our way to climate neutrality.”

To which another user replied:

“Azerbaijan has a dictatorship as well. Just in case(…”

Azerbaijan has a dictatorship as well. Just in case(…

— Mari #NavalnyIsAHero (@Mariart51584480) July 18, 2022

Credit: Twitter @Mariart51584480 @vonderleyen

Another user stated:

“❗️#Azerbaijan 🇦🇿 and #EuropeanUnion 🇪🇺 signed MoU on Strategic Partnership in field of #energy on July 18, 2022 in #Baku. That once again proved how Azerbaijan plays an important role in the energy security of EU and how reliable partner of EU is.”

❗️#Azerbaijan 🇦🇿 and #EuropeanUnion 🇪🇺 signed MoU on Strategic Partnership in field of #energy on July 18, 2022 in #Baku. That once again proved how Azerbaijan plays an important role in the energy security of EU and how reliable partner of EU is. pic.twitter.com/2cW1ZXYef8

— Elchin Mehdiyev 🇦🇿 (@ElchinMeh) July 18, 2022

Credit: Twitter @ElchinMeh

Another Twitter user stated: “During the war between Armenia and Azerbaijan, I thought you were on the side of Armenia….”

During the war between Armenia and Azerbaijan, I thought you were on the side of Armenia….

— Cinqscories 😼 (@Cinqscories) July 18, 2022

Credit: Twitter @Cinqscories 

Another user tweeted: “Meanwhile, the ‘trustworthy’ Ilham Aliyev last year, in front of the helmets of soldiers killed by the war of choice he started in 2020”

To which further users answered: “Didn’t he just recapture lands taken from his country similar to what Ukraine wants to do?”

“Nagorno Karabakh has never been part of an independent Azerbaijan. Maybe if the Donbass was 90% ethnically Russian, broke off in 1989 as the USSR collapsed and also Ukraine was a hereditary petrodictatorship that beheaded ethnic Russian pensioners it would capture.”

Nagorno Karabakh has never been part of an independent Azerbaijan.

Maybe if the Donbass was 90% ethnically Russian, broke off in 1989 as the USSR collapsed and also Ukraine was a hereditary petrodictatorship that beheaded ethnic Russian pensioners it would capture.

— Ruben Izmailyan (@rubendinho) July 18, 2022

Credit: Twitter @rubendinho @galosgann

Another tweet read:

“If supplying gas makes them trustworthy, wasn’t Russia doing the same? And if aggression makes someone untrustworthy, isn’t Azerbaijan doing the same against people of Artsakh?”

If supplying gas makes them trustworthy, wasn’t Russia doing the same? And if aggression makes someone untrustworthy, isn’t Azerbaijan doing the same against people of Artsakh?

— Davidpapa (@Davidpa97558507) July 18, 2022

Credit: Twitter @Davidpa97558507

“Trustworthy energy supplier? Azerbaijan is Europe‘s worst dictatorship,” read a further tweet:

Trustworthy energy supplier? Azerbaijan is Europe‘s worst dictatorship.

— Martin Haspelmath (@haspelmath) July 18, 2022

Credit: Twitter @haspelmath

The news follows reports of President Vladimir Putin firing Russia’s representative to European Court of Human Rights, on Monday, July 18.

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