On July 28, Ukraine's national energy company, Naftogaz, announced the first-ever delivery of Azerbaijani gas to Ukraine via the Trans-Balkan corridor. The agreement was signed with SOCAR Energy Ukraine, a subsidiary of the SOCAR Group. The initial volume was limited to 22 thousand cubic meters delivered through the Bulgaria-Romania-Ukraine route.

Serhiy Koretsky, Chairman of the Board of Naftogaz, emphasized the strategic importance of the delivery despite its small size, calling it "a small but strategically important step that opens the way to long-term cooperation" and an example of supply diversification that strengthens Ukraine's energy security.

The move drew sharp criticism from Russia. Konstantin Zatulin, First Deputy Chairman of the State Duma Committee on CIS Affairs, interpreted the delivery as politically motivated support for Kyiv in its conflict with Moscow. He stated, "The decision to supply gas to Ukraine is clearly aimed at supporting Ukraine, which, as we know, is waging a war with the Russian Federation." Zatulin argued that Azerbaijan is increasingly pursuing a foreign policy hostile to Russian interests and that this gas delivery is a continuation of that course.