Giorgia Meloni in Baku: Italy wants more gas from Azerbaijan

Italy is looking to get gas from Azerbaijan. This is a deal for European energy security. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni recently visited Baku. This was the time an Italian head of government had visited in thirteen years. The visit happened at a time. Europe is trying to reduce its dependence on energy. At the time it is navigating a complex geopolitical situation in the South Caucasus.

Azerbaijani oil and gas were a topic of discussion. Prime Minister Meloni said that Azerbaijani oil and gas are very important for Italy's energy security. This is especially true since the conflict in Ukraine started. President Ilham Aliyev said that Italy is Azerbaijan's trading partner. The two countries trade $12 billion worth of goods.

The Trans Adriatic Pipeline is a part of the energy relationship between Italy and Azerbaijan. Year Azerbaijan exported 25 billion cubic meters of gas. About 9.5 billion cubic meters of that gas went to Italy. This accounts for 15% of Italy's total gas demand. Both leaders think it is necessary to increase the pipeline's capacity. They want to meet the growing demand for gas in Europe. The goal is to double gas exports to Europe to 20 billion meters by 2027.

The partnership between Italy and Azerbaijan is changing. It is moving away from oil and gas. The two countries are working together on high-tech projects. President Aliyev talked about an area of cooperation in military technology. He suggested combining technology with Azerbaijani money. Many Italian companies are already working in Azerbaijan. Some of these companies are helping to rebuild areas that were damaged in the Karabakh and East Zangezur regions.

Azerbaijan is also investing in Italy. The State Oil Fund of Azerbaijan has invested about $3 billion in the economy. Recently it invested in an energy project. To make the relationship between the two countries formal Meloni announced a new political coordination mechanism. There will also be a business forum in Baku in 2026.

Meloni's visit to Baku happened after a summit in Yerevan. This shows that Italy is trying to balance its relationships in the South Caucasus. Italy wants to be a bridge between Europe and Azerbaijan. Meloni thinks that Azerbaijan is a hub between Europe and Asia. By working with Azerbaijan Italy is showing that it is a major player in European politics.

The talks between Meloni and Aliyev also covered some topics. They discussed the normalization process with Armenia and the rising tensions with Iran. Meloni thanked Azerbaijan for its help during the Iran crisis. This shows that there is a level of trust between the two countries.

With all the progress there are still challenges. Experts say that Azerbaijan cannot replace gas immediately. The long-term success of the partnership will depend on how the countries can transition to green energy. They will also need to resolve some disputes. The relationship, between Italy and Azerbaijan shows how energy needs are driving relations.