Azerbaijani president, U.S. State Dept representative discuss ramping up gas supplies to Europe

BAKU. May 31 (Interfax) - Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Energy Diplomacy Laura Lohman discussed ramping up gas supplies to Europe, among other matters, during a meeting in Baku on Tuesday.

"The parties discussed the activities of the Southern Gas Corridor, emphasizing Azerbaijan's role in Europe's energy security and the diversification of gas supplies. The parties exchanged views on increasing Azerbaijan's gas exports to Europe," according to the statement posted on the president's website.

Aliyev and Lohman noted the successful development of Azerbaijan-U.S. bilateral relations in various areas.

"The Azerbaijani leader was very appreciative of Washington's continued support for Baku in implementing global energy projects. During the meeting, the parties discussed the large-scale operations in Azerbaijan in the area of electricity and renewable energy sources," according to the statement.

Azerbaijan launched gas supplies to Europe on December 30, 2020, and delivered 8.2 billion cubic meters of gas to Italy, Greece, and Bulgaria in 2021. The gas-supply volume from Azerbaijan to Europe is expected to increase in 2022.