The military operation launched by Azerbaijan against the Armenian population in Nagorno-Karabakh resulted in a ceasefire by the troops that declared independence from Baku. According to the Yerevan government, at least 32 people, including seven civilians, were killed and over 200 people were injured. It was stated that two children were among the civilian victims. A blitzkrieg waged by Azerbaijan, relying on its military superiority and, apparently, Russia’s approval. But it is also about Baku’s ever-increasing revenues from gas and oil sales to the EU. Or it would be more accurate to say Italy.
Attack in Nagorno-Karabakh
Yes, because the war in Nagorno-Karabakh after Russia invaded Ukraine can, in a way, be described as a new war paid for with Italian money. A few months after the outbreak of the Ukraine conflict and following the halt of natural gas from Moscow, the European Union signed an agreement with Azerbaijan to double supplies by 2027 through a gas pipeline running from the Eurasian country’s fields to Melendugno in Puglia. We increased from 8 billion cubic meters in 2021 to around 12 billion cubic meters in 2022. And Italy mainly benefited from this.
Italy’s role
In 2022, the share of Baku natural gas in total imports from abroad increased from 9.9% in the previous year to 14.2%. And it increased even further in the first seven months of 2023, reaching 15.1%, ranking second after Algeria. Filling the coffers was a significant boon for the Azerbaijani government. The country’s economy depends on oil and gas, which make up 93% of exports and guarantee revenues of 35 billion euros in 2022, compared to 20.5 billion euros the previous year.
Italy is by far Baku’s main trading partner: in 2022, 46% of fossil fuel exports were destined for our country, guaranteeing $16.5 billion in income for Azerbaijan’s coffers. It’s not just about gas: For Azerbaijan, we are also the EU’s main oil customer: Due to the embargo on Russian crude oil, Baku has become our second supplier after Iraq.
price of gas
Tensions between Azerbaijan and Armenia over control of Nagorno-Karabakh have been ongoing for decades. After more than 6,500 victims in 2020, Baku and Yerevan agreed to end the hostilities under the auspices of Russia. However, the agreement collapsed after the start of the war in Ukraine, more precisely, just a month after the gas agreement signed between EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Azerbaijani leader Ilham Aliyev.
Many international experts had predicted that Aliyev, who has been in power since 2003 after 10 years of his father’s undisputed rule, would use his gas influence to renege on agreements with Armenia and restart military operations in Nagorno-Karabakh. And so it was: by the end of August 2022, he had regained control of the city of Lachin and the surrounding villages of Zabukh and Sus, effectively cutting off the corridor connecting Armenia to the region and depriving the Armenian population of Yerevan’s supplies. Now, a little over a year later, the new attack has weakened the last anti-Baku resistance.
Armenia accused Russia of betraying its mediation role and aiding Aliyev. There are suspicions that Moscow is interested in strengthening the recent agreement under which Azerbaijan will purchase 1 billion cubic meters of gas from Russia’s Gazprom. The paradox of this agreement is obvious: Europe increases its imports from Baku to hit Moscow, but in return, Azerbaijan, thanks to Russia, also guarantees its domestic gas demand.
This is not the only paradox for international humanitarian organizations, which have long drawn attention to social, political and human rights violations in the country of Azerbaijan. According to the Economist’s Democracy Index, Baku is an authoritarian regime that ranks 141st out of 167 countries analyzed for its democracy status. For comparison, Russia ranks 121st.
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Source: Today IT

Karen Clayton is a seasoned journalist and author at The Nation Update, with a focus on world news and current events. She has a background in international relations, which gives her a deep understanding of the political, economic and social factors that shape the global landscape. She writes about a wide range of topics, including conflicts, political upheavals, and economic trends, as well as humanitarian crisis and human rights issues.