Azerbaijan helped EU with energy resources last winter - Lithuanian president

VILNIUS. May 22 (Interfax/BNS) - The relationship between the European Union and Azerbaijan has been developing positively, and an energy cooperation agreement signed between Brussels and Baku in 2022 "helped the EU to provide itself with energy resources in the winter period," Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda said.

"We should use opportunities offered by the Eastern Partnership policy for cooperation and for exploring ways to deepen our strategic partnership," BNS quoted Nauseda as saying following a meeting with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev in Vilnius on Monday.

During Aliyev's visit to Lithuania, the two countries signed bilateral agreements on closer cooperation in environmental protection, youth affairs, and law enforcement efforts, he said.

Nauseda also invited Azerbaijan to work together to prevent Russia from circumventing international sanctions.

Aliyev said he expected "economy and trade to become areas where the biggest progress will be made" within the next few years. "I am thankful to Lithuania for its support in our cooperation with the EU," he said.

Nauseda visited Azerbaijan in May 2022.

The Lithuanian president told Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov in Vilnius in early May 2023 that Lithuania was interested in expanding cooperation with Azerbaijan in the economy, education, innovations, IT, and other sectors.