A BBC article explores how Azerbaijan has emerged as a key European Union partner following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022—at a cost, critics say, to the EU’s commitment to human rights and democratic values.
The article notes that Azerbaijan became a strategic energy ally as the EU sought to reduce its dependence on Russian gas. However, critics argue that this shift enabled widespread repression in Azerbaijan. According to the BBC, EU leaders, by prioritizing energy security, have overlooked political crackdowns and human rights abuses in the country.
The BBC highlights a symbolic moment from a recent visit to Baku, showing EU official Kaja Kallas walking alongside President Ilham Aliyev in the rain, with Aliyev holding an umbrella. The article states that this comes amid unprecedented political pressure in Azerbaijan over the past two years.
Kallas’s warm interactions with senior EU officials in Tirana in May have intensified concerns among observers, the BBC says. At the time of increasing media suppression in Azerbaijan, Kallas was touring Baku while UN and Red Cross offices remained closed.
The article traces the turning point to July 2022, when European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen called Azerbaijan a “key partner” for replacing Russian gas. Since then, the BBC reports, Aliyev has won a fifth term and has tightened his grip on power, especially following the Karabakh war, which led to the mass exodus of the Armenian population from the region.
Citing human rights groups, the BBC notes that Azerbaijan now holds around 350 political prisoners, with many independent journalists jailed. Although the European Parliament acknowledged these issues and called for sanctions and an end to Azeri gas imports, such motions are non-binding.
According to the article, Azerbaijani opposition figures accuse the EU of abandoning its stated values of democracy and human rights. Some European analysts interviewed by the BBC argue that the EU’s energy policy has directly enabled authoritarianism in Baku.
Energy remains Azerbaijan’s strongest bargaining chip, the BBC reports. In May 2025, von der Leyen reiterated that returning to Russian gas would be a “historic mistake,” reinforcing the EU’s commitment to its partnership with Azerbaijan.
The article provides figures showing that although Azerbaijan supplies only 4.3% of the EU’s overall gas, it accounts for a major share in certain countries—providing nearly 40% of Bulgaria’s gas, and over 15% to Greece and Italy.
PRISM analyst Ben Godwin is quoted as saying that Europe would not face a crisis without Azerbaijani gas, but a senior EU diplomat told the BBC that the bloc has little leverage over Baku because of southern EU states’ reliance on its supply. The diplomat insists that energy cooperation has not changed the EU’s human rights stance—but the article points out that tangible action remains minimal.
Meanwhile, the BBC highlights how Azerbaijan’s relationship with Russia remains complex. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov emphasized their close alliance, yet Azerbaijan’s actions in June—such as banning Russian cultural events and detaining Sputnik staff—suggest a desire to distance itself from Moscow.
Analysts cited in the article believe that Baku is trying to portray itself as an equal to Russia while simultaneously appealing to the West. The BBC notes that Aliyev skipped Russia’s Victory Day parade and referred to Russian-occupied Ukrainian territories as “occupied,” offering humanitarian aid to Ukraine.
Expert Kirill Krivosheev draws a comparison between Aliyev and former Romanian leader Nicolae Ceausescu, who publicly opposed the Soviet invasion of Prague in 1968. The BBC notes that unlike Ceausescu, Aliyev receives tolerance from the West because of his support for Ukraine.
For Russia, the BBC says, Azerbaijan remains strategically important as the western section of the North–South transport corridor, connecting Russia to India and the Persian Gulf. Transit through this corridor increased by 28% last year, and both sides have committed to further investments.
The article also references a European Parliament resolution from December 2024, which described Azerbaijan’s actions in Nagorno-Karabakh as a “planned, unjustified military assault” that forced over 100,000 ethnic Armenians to flee—amounting to “de facto ethnic cleansing.” Critics like Eldar Mamedov argue that von der Leyen’s 2022 visit gave Aliyev the green light, suggesting the EU abandoned its principles “almost for free.” A senior EU diplomat quoted anonymously echoes this view, saying Baku now sees the West as eager to please—and takes advantage.
The BBC reports that the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine prompted Azerbaijan to believe it could retake Karabakh with little Western pushback. By September 2023, Baku claimed complete control of the territory. Azerbaijan denies ethnic cleansing, but some EU diplomats still criticize its actions and seek access to political prisoners—efforts the article says have produced little result.
In May 2025, Azerbaijan released French artist Théo Clerc, who had been jailed for graffiti in the Baku metro. The BBC notes that Azerbaijani media credited Kalas’s mediation for the release, which Kalas described as an example of “quiet diplomacy.” However, she has not commented on cases involving Azerbaijani citizens.
In June, seven journalists were sentenced to between 7.5 and 9 years in prison—six of them from a single outlet investigating Aliyev’s business dealings. Scholar Bahruz Samedov received 15 years for alleged treason over contact with Armenians; friends told the BBC he attempted suicide in custody.
The European Commission expressed concern over the “shrinking civic space” in Azerbaijan and called for the release of all individuals detained for exercising their rights. The Commission told the BBC it raises these issues consistently—both publicly and privately, including during Kalas’s visit.
Looking back, the BBC recalls the so-called “contract of the century” signed by Azerbaijan in the 1990s after the fall of the Soviet Union, promising prosperity through oil exports. President Heydar Aliyev promised that oil wealth would combat poverty. Two decades later, his son Ilham credits the deal with strengthening the state, but the BBC contrasts these claims with current realities: Azerbaijan has the lowest average wage in the South Caucasus, the highest food inflation, and the lowest Human Development Index in the region. Borders remain closed to citizens since 2020, with only freight allowed.
A senior EU diplomat told the BBC that Azerbaijan is not using its advantageous position wisely. While Russia relies on Azerbaijan for transport links and regional influence, and Europe for energy transit, the leadership in Baku believes it can act aggressively with impunity.
On May 16 journalist Ulviya Ali—who had worked with Voice of America—was detained while Aliyev met with EU leaders in Tirana. She reported being beaten and threatened with rape during police interrogation
