AZE.US
Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov held a series of high-level meetings in Kyiv on August 6, with talks focusing on energy supplies, regional security, trade, defense cooperation and Azerbaijan’s participation in Ukraine’s reconstruction.
According to Report.az, Bayramov met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha and senior security officials during his official visit.
The Azerbaijani delegation was welcomed in Kyiv by Sybiha and other Ukrainian officials. The two ministers laid a wreath at a memorial honoring Ukrainian soldiers and later viewed an exhibition of Ukrainian-made unmanned aerial vehicles.
Bayramov and Sybiha then held bilateral talks, followed by an expanded meeting involving delegations from both countries.
Azerbaijan Ready to Supply Gas to Ukraine
Energy cooperation emerged as one of the central issues of the visit.
Bayramov said Azerbaijan would be prepared to organize natural gas supplies to Ukraine should such a need arise.
He noted that Azerbaijan’s state energy company SOCAR has operated in the Ukrainian market for years and is interested in expanding its activities. Baku is also considering the possible use of Ukraine’s underground gas storage facilities as part of broader efforts to strengthen regional energy security.
Bayramov said Azerbaijan currently supplies natural gas to 12 European countries, including 10 European Union member states.
Sybiha said Ukraine was interested in diversifying energy imports from Azerbaijan and had prepared a package of proposals covering energy, infrastructure and investment projects.
The Ukrainian foreign minister described Azerbaijan’s role as strategically important not only for Ukraine, but also for European energy security.
Talks With Zelenskyy
Bayramov also met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who noted that this was the first visit by an Azerbaijani foreign minister to Ukraine since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion.
Zelenskyy briefed Bayramov on continued Russian attacks, the security situation in the Black Sea and problems caused by disruptions to Ukrainian grain export routes.
The two sides discussed diplomatic contacts, defense cooperation, energy, the oil and gas sector, agriculture and broader economic ties.
Zelenskyy thanked Azerbaijan for its humanitarian and energy assistance, as well as for maintaining political dialogue with Kyiv.
Bayramov, in turn, informed the Ukrainian president about developments in the South Caucasus, the peace process between Azerbaijan and Armenia and the large-scale reconstruction of Azerbaijan’s territories restored to Baku’s control following the Karabakh conflict.
Support for Territorial Integrity
During talks with Sybiha, both sides reaffirmed their support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Azerbaijan and Ukraine within their internationally recognized borders.
The ministers also discussed the situation in the South Caucasus and the Middle East, as well as diplomatic efforts aimed at ending the war in Ukraine.
Bayramov said military operations between Russia and Ukraine should be halted as soon as possible and that the conflict should be resolved through diplomacy in accordance with international law.
The Ukrainian side presented its peace initiatives and highlighted the potential role Azerbaijan could play in supporting regional stability.
Trade and Investment
The two countries also discussed restoring trade to pre-war levels.
Current bilateral trade stands at approximately $600 million, compared with $922.4 million in 2021.
The sides agreed to hold another meeting of the Azerbaijan-Ukraine intergovernmental commission on economic cooperation. Ukraine also expressed interest in attracting more Azerbaijani companies and launching new joint investment projects.
Security Cooperation
As part of the visit, Bayramov met with senior Ukrainian officials responsible for national security.
He held talks with the head of the Ukrainian Presidential Office, Kyrylo Budanov, on political dialogue, economic cooperation, energy, transport and humanitarian ties.
They also discussed changes in the regional and international security environment.
At a separate meeting with Ukrainian National Security and Defense Council Secretary Ihor Klymenko, the sides reviewed regional security and energy cooperation.
Both parties emphasized the importance of protecting state sovereignty, territorial integrity and internationally recognized borders.
Azerbaijan-Funded Projects in Irpin
Bayramov also visited Irpin, a city heavily damaged during the opening phase of the war.
The Azerbaijani delegation visited a park named after Azerbaijani ophthalmologist and academician Zarifa Aliyeva and laid flowers at her monument.
Bayramov inspected the Zarifa Aliyeva Lyceum and a municipal clinic that were renovated with financial and humanitarian support from Azerbaijan.
The Azerbaijani language is also taught at the lyceum.
The delegation was shown plans for the reconstruction of Irpin’s destroyed cultural center, a project expected to be carried out with support from the Azerbaijani government.
Irpin maintains sister-city relations with Azerbaijan’s Lachin.
Historical Diplomatic Records
At the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry, Bayramov was also shown archival documents related to the diplomatic mission of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic in Ukraine.
The materials date from 1918 to 1920 and include official correspondence, reports and historical documents concerning Azerbaijan and the wider Caucasus region.
The visit highlighted the expanding scope of Azerbaijan-Ukraine relations, ranging from energy and security cooperation to trade, humanitarian assistance and post-war reconstruction.
AZE.US