German media highlight Azerbaijan’s first gas deliveries to Germany and Austria [PHOTOS]

A number of leading German publications, including Spiegel,
Handelsblatt and Berliner Zeitung, have published extensive
coverage of Azerbaijan’s first start of natural gas supplies to
Germany and Austria, assessing the move as a significant
development for Europe’s energy security.

Azernews reports that the German media frame
the development as a concrete contribution to Europe’s broader
strategy of reducing its dependence on Russian energy supplies, a
policy that gained urgency after Russia’s attack on Ukraine.

German publications recall that the foundation for these
supplies was laid during the visit of European Commission President
Ursula von der Leyen to Baku in the summer of 2022, when an
agreement was reached to increase gas flows to Europe via the
Southern Gas Corridor. That agreement is described as a turning
point in Europe’s efforts to diversify its energy sources.

It is noted that Azerbaijani gas supplies to Germany and Austria
are carried out through the Southern Gas Corridor and the
Trans-Adriatic Pipeline (TAP). Gas is transported via Greece and
Albania to southern Italy and then forwarded through existing
transmission networks to Austria and Germany. With the inclusion of
these two new destinations, the number of countries importing
Azerbaijani gas has reached sixteen.

In its coverage, Spiegel places particular emphasis on long-term
energy cooperation and the stability of supply volumes, underlining
the strategic role of Azerbaijani gas for the German market. The
publication recalls the ten-year contract signed between SOCAR and
SEFE, which envisages annual deliveries of one and a half billion
cubic meters of gas. It also highlights that Azerbaijan’s total gas
exports to Europe, which reached 12.8 billion cubic meters in 2025,
reflect the country’s strengthened position in the European energy
market. At the same time, Spiegel notes that any further increase
in export volumes will depend on additional investments and the
expansion of pipeline capacity.

Handelsblatt, Germany’s leading economic newspaper, approaches
the issue from an energy policy perspective. The publication
stresses that Azerbaijani gas has become an important element in
Europe’s diversification strategy and aligns with the German
government’s objective of reducing reliance on Russian gas.
According to Handelsblatt, the growing role of Azerbaijani supplies
contributes not only to Germany’s energy security but also to the
resilience of the European energy system as a whole.

Meanwhile, Berliner Zeitung focuses on the integration of
Azerbaijani gas into Europe’s existing infrastructure and the
strategic importance of TAP. The newspaper underlines that this
marks the first time Azerbaijan has gained official access to the
German gas market and describes the Southern Gas Corridor as a
strategic artery for Europe’s energy security. It also points out
that the flexibility of routing gas through Europe’s interconnected
transmission network enhances the reliability and stability of
supply to multiple markets.

Overall, the German media coverage presents Azerbaijan’s entry
into the German and Austrian gas markets as a milestone in Europe’s
ongoing effort to reshape its energy map and strengthen long-term
supply security through diversification.