Aliyev announced plans to increase gas supplies to Italy

In 2022, Azerbaijan will increase gas supplies to Italy, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev said at a meeting with Italian Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Luigi Di Maio, Interfax-Azerbaijan reports.

“Azerbaijan is Italy's main trading partner in the South Caucasus, 95% of Italy's trade with the South Caucasus falls on Azerbaijan. The numbers are very good, almost $10 billion last year. I am sure that this year this figure will increase due to the growth of Azerbaijani gas supplies to Italy,” the HEAD of state said. In 2021, Baku supplied Rome with 7 billion cubic meters. m of gas, the Azerbaijani leader added.

Aliyev noted that Azerbaijan ranks third among the countries supplying gas to Italy, this position was helped by the country to take the project "Southern Gas Corridor", through which gas through a system of three gas pipelines through the territory of Azerbaijan, Georgia and Turkey goes to Europe - Greece, Albania and Italy. As a supplier of oil, Baku ranks first, the President stressed.

At the end of March, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced that the Russian ruble would be used in gas payments with "unfriendly countries", including Italy. The Italian gas company Eni said that they could not pay for Russian gas in rubles, as they did not have such an opportunity and this was not provided for by the contract, which indicated payments in euros. The company indicated that it is impossible to change the agreement unilaterally.