On April 3, Christos Kapodistrias, the Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador of Greece to Azerbaijan, stated that Greece is ready to support the expansion of the Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP) if necessary to meet rising energy demands, during an official reception in Baku commemorating Greece’s National Day.

Kapodistrias emphasized that TAP is Greece’s third-largest source of natural gas imports, accounting for about 25 percent of total national gas consumption. He highlighted Greece’s forward-looking approach to energy infrastructure, mentioning the potential conversion of existing gas pipelines to transport hydrogen. The ambassador also underlined the strategic importance of the Interconnector Greece-Bulgaria (IGB), which not only links Greece and Bulgaria but also has the potential to enhance energy security for Romania, Moldova, and eventually Ukraine. He described the energy partnership between Azerbaijan and Greece as a success story, with TAP, as part of the Southern Gas Corridor, playing a vital role in reliably transporting Azerbaijani gas to Europe over the past three years.

Dimitris Skalkos, the Secretary General of the Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs, echoed similar sentiments during the same event, highlighting the shared values and promising potential of bilateral relations between Azerbaijan and Greece. He stated that Greece is guided by principles such as dialogue, friendship, and adherence to international law, and reiterated his country’s commitment to these ideals during its 2025–2026 tenure as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council. He expressed gratitude to Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov and Presidential Aide Hikmat Hajiyev for their cooperation with the Greek embassy.

Azerbaijan’s Deputy Foreign Minister Elnur Mammadov also addressed the event, stating that Azerbaijan-Greece cooperation, particularly within the Southern Gas Corridor and the Greece-Bulgaria Interconnector, is crucial for diversifying Europe’s energy routes and supply sources. He noted that the two countries have fostered strong ties across various sectors, including energy, transport, education, tourism, and culture. Mammadov recalled high-level meetings between Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis in 2022 and 2023, underlining the importance of such engagements in strengthening bilateral ties.

Mammadov highlighted that energy cooperation remains a key pillar of the Azerbaijan-Greece relationship. He referenced the 2022 Memorandum of Understanding on Strategic Partnership in Energy between the European Union and Azerbaijan, which set the target of increasing Azerbaijani gas exports to Europe to at least 20 billion cubic meters annually by 2027. He concluded by expressing satisfaction with the expanding trade, economic, tourism, and humanitarian ties, noting the operation of Greek language and culture centers at Azerbaijani universities.