Strategic Visit to Strengthen EU Engagement in the South Caucasus
Poinews.com – European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is conducting a pivotal trip to the South Caucasus this week to reinforce the Union’s collaboration with Armenia and Azerbaijan. The mission aims to build on the EU’s role in the ongoing peace process between the two nations, which concluded a decades-long conflict over Karabakh, and to explore new economic and energy opportunities for European interests.
Von der Leyen’s itinerary includes meetings in Baku and Yerevan, where she will focus on expanding energy ties, trade agreements, and regional connectivity. This effort is part of the EU’s broader strategy to diversify its energy sources and bolster infrastructure links across the Caucasus. Her visit to Baku will include discussions with President Ilham Aliyev, while in Yerevan, she will engage with Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, who was re-elected in recent elections.
The Middle Corridor: A New Eurasian Transit Route
One of the key objectives of the visit is to support the EU’s Connectivity Agenda, which seeks to establish alternative trade routes to Europe. The Middle Corridor, also known as the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (TITR), has emerged as a strategic alternative to traditional supply chains. This network spans from China’s eastern coast to the Black Sea ports, passing through Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, and Georgia before connecting to Europe via Romania, Hungary, and Poland.
The route, envisioned as a modern counterpart to the ancient Silk Road, reduces travel distance by approximately 3,000 kilometers compared to the Northern Corridor through Russia. It combines roadways, railroads, and maritime connections to create a vital link between Southeast Asia and European markets. European Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos, who is accompanying von der Leyen, highlighted the importance of the initiative, stating that it aims to secure Europe’s trade and energy routes amid global disruptions.
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