Is the End of the Urengoy-Pomary-Uzhgorod Pipeline Era Near? Commercial and Political Stakes at Play

On December 19, the European Parliament adopted a resolution addressing the repressions against civil society and independent media in Azerbaijan. The resolution stated that since 2023, the Azerbaijani government has systematically pressured civil society, political opposition, human rights defenders, the LGBTI+ community, and independent media, with these pressures intensifying ahead of the COP29 summit.

As the potential halt to Russian gas transit through Ukraine approaches—scheduled for 5 a.m. Ukrainian time on January 1, 2025—effectively signaling the cessation of pipeline gas supplies from Russia to major EU economies in Central and Western Europe, EU nations and the newly updated European Commission (EC) leadership have intensified consultations on ensuring Europe's energy security.

The meeting of the newly elected Secretary General Mark Rutte with President Erdoğan in Ankara on November 25 was aimed not so much at familiarizing himself with the member countries but at holding direct discussions about ongoing developments in the region. This is understandable, as the closer the date for Donald Trump’s potential return to the White House approaches, the more intense the situation on the Russia-Ukraine front becomes. On the other hand, despite the latest reconciliation between Israel and Lebanon, questions surrounding Gaza’s future are growing in number.

In alignment with the Paris Agreement on Climate Change, the EU presented its first Biennial Transparency Report (BTR) on November 22 at COP29 in Baku, detailing the Union's climate actions up to 2023.