Head of European Commission goes to Azerbaijan in search of gas deal

Brussels/18.07.22/Reuters: European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen will arrive travel in Baku on Monday to seek more natural gas from Azerbaijan, an EU official said, as the European Union seeks to reduce its dependence on Russian energy supplies.

"With Russia continuing to weaponize its energy supplies, diversification of our energy imports is a priority for the EU," the European Commission said in a Twitter post. "President von der Leyen and Energy Commissioner Kadri Simson will arrive in Azerbaijan tomorrow to further strengthen cooperation."

According to a draft document seen by Reuters on July 14, the Commission proposed that EU countries strike a deal with Azerbaijan to raise natural gas imports and support the expansion of the pipeline to that end.

The Commission was not immediately available for comment. EU governments have already agreed to a gradual oil embargo on Russia.

Meanwhile, Russian gas transit through Poland has stopped this year, and gas supplies through Ukraine have been cut because of Moscow's invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24.

Germany, the world's fourth-largest economy, is preparing for all scenarios, including a complete shutdown of Russian gas supplies, even after the usual 10-day maintenance period for the giant Nord Stream 1 pipeline ends later this week.

Mikhail Ulyanov, Russia's Ambassador to international bodies in Vienna, said on Twitter Sunday, "Russia has never refused to continue supplying natural gas to Europe and is in full compliance with its contractual obligations."-0-