00:00European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen
00:02was in Baku for talks with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev
00:06in a visit that underlines the growing strategic importance
00:09of the South Caucasus for the European Union.
00:12In recent years, Azerbaijan has proven to be
00:15a reliable, trusted energy partner to the European Union.
00:21We have not forgotten that at a time when Russia weaponized energy
00:26and turned off the gas for Europe,
00:29Azerbaijan stepped up.
00:31You showed personal leadership in promoting peace
00:34and cooperation across the region.
00:37Together we can indeed turn peace on paper
00:40into peace in practice.
00:43The visit comes at a time of shifting geopolitics.
00:46Since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine,
00:48the European Union has been working to diversify
00:51both its energy supplies and its trade routes.
00:5416 EU member states import natural gas from Azerbaijan,
00:57while the Middle Corridor is increasingly seen as an alternative route
01:01linking Europe with Central Asia and China, bypassing Russia.
01:05This is a significant visit because it reflects just how strategically important
01:09the South Caucasus have become for the EU.
01:12This is Ursula von der Leyen's first visit to Azerbaijan
01:15since neighbors Armenia and Azerbaijan initialed the landmark peace process.
01:19Her last visit was back in 2022.
01:23We have a very active phase of relationship between European Commission and Azerbaijan.
01:29This is unprecedented dynamism in our relationship.
01:33President von der Leyen's focus was on the South Caucasus,
01:36but several senior European Commissioners held high-level talks in Turkey
01:40with discussions covering regional security, migration, trade,
01:44and the modernization of EU-Turkiye Customs Union.
01:47Together, the visits illustrate how Brussels increasingly sees Turkey,
01:51the South Caucasus and Central Asia as one interconnected strategic neighborhood.
01:55Now, let's 이쪽 where Brussels, wherever you see Turkey,
01:57We will look very focused on this notion of the earthquakes
01:57and this time for國父 coat,
01:58Grazie a tutti.
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