AIR Center’s Chairman of the Board, Farid Shafiyev, addressed the annual Delphi Economic Forum, held in Greece from April 22 to 25, 2026.

During the panel discussion titled “A Dual-Track Strategy: The European Union as a Security and Economic Actor in Eurasia?”, he delivered a comprehensive presentation on the interrelation between current global crises and the international security architecture, as well as on the current state of Armenia-Azerbaijan normalization and the positive dynamics achieved in EU-Azerbaijan relations.

Farid Shafiyev drew attention to the growing strategic importance of the Caspian region in the context of the conflicts unfolding along its perimeter, highlighting its critical role in ensuring reliable and secure supply chains. In this context, the South Caucasus serves as a key region for the European Union, particularly in terms of security, energy supply, and regional connectivity.

He also emphasized the need for a more consistent and balanced policy by the European Union toward the South Caucasus. According to him, more practical measures are needed to strengthen both the political and economic dimensions of cooperation between the European Union and the region. Particular emphasis should be placed on Azerbaijan’s role as a key contributor to regional security, energy potential, and transport projects.

“Relations between Baku and Brussels occasionally suffer from certain biases and influences of political groups. Nevertheless, they have recently taken a new and fresh start and hopefully evolve into a solid partnership,” he concluded.