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Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov met with Olivér Várhelyi, European Commissioner for Neighbourhood and Enlargement, in Budapest as part of his visit to Hungary, Azernews reports, citing the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan,

Sides discussed the relations between Azerbaijan and the EU, including the current situation in the region.

The opening of the Zangazur Corridor can make a significant contribution to the expansion of the Middle Corridor, Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov told a meeting with the EU Commissioner for Neighborhood and Enlargement, Oliver Varhelyi.

During the discussions, the sides emphasized the importance of the Memorandum of Understanding on Strategic Partnership in the field of energy between Azerbaijan and the EU, which envisages joint activities in the field of energy security, as well as the development of alternative energy resources, in cooperation in this field.

Minister Jeyhun Bayramov, who spoke about the initiatives put forward by Azerbaijan in the direction of expanding the potential of the Middle Corridor - Trans-Caspian International Transport Route, noted that the opening of all transport and communications in the region, including the Zangazur corridor, can be a significant contribution to the process.

The Minister noted that the opening of all transport and communications in the region, including the Zangazur corridor, can be a significant contribution to the process. The corridor is part of a strategic transportation route extending from the Azerbaijani capital, Baku, to Kars, Türkiye's eastern province, passing through Armenian territory near the country's border with Iran.

During the Soviet era, Moscow built two railways to connect Nakhchivan with the main Azerbaijani territory in a region that Baku now refers to as the Zangazur Corridor. However, these railways became unusable during the First Garabagh War, which began in 1992.

Baku now aims to rebuild the Soviet-era railways and construct highways in the area to connect Azerbaijan with its Nakhchivan region. Furthermore, the corridor is also part of a big transportation project connecting Baku with Istanbul. The corridor aims to give Azerbaijan unrestricted access to its Nakhchivan enclave without any Armenian checkpoints while it passes through Armenian territory near the Tehran-Yerevan border.

The Zangazur Corridor plays a crucial role in increasing regional connectivity — not only throughout Caucasia but also across greater Eurasia, joining Turkish, Russian, Central Asian, Iranian, and Armenian territories and linking Europe to Asia. The connectivity the corridor will enable will also help galvanize trade relations between different states.

Türkiye's land connection with Azerbaijan also means that Ankara will have better access to Turkic states in Central Asia, with which it has strong historical and cultural ties. Azerbaijani Ambassador to Türkiye, Rashad Mammadov, said that the corridor is going to unite the whole Turkic world.

The Zangazur Corridor is a big deal as it will significantly boost interregional connectivity far and wide. Azerbaijani Parliament Speaker Sahiba Gafarova said that the opening of the Zangazur corridor will make a significant contribution to the transit and trade potential of the Turkic world.

The corridor is also expected to help reconcile Azerbaijan and Armenia.

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