Tensions flared on Monday between Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev and European Parliament boss Roberta Metsola at a high-level political summit held in Armenia.
Addressing the European Political Community, which brings leaders from the EU, neighbouring countries with shared interests and candidate countries together, Aliyev accused the European Parliament of “spreading slander and lies” about Azerbaijan.
Metsola, who chairs the EU parliament, rejected the claims in a sharp rebuttal, as she asked to take the floor in an impromptu intervention. “We will never change the way we work,” she told the chamber, “even if it is uncomfortable”.
Prior to her intervention, Aliyev also claimed members of the European parliament act as though they want to “sabotage” the peace process with Armenia brokered by the US last year, setting a diplomatic and economic framework after the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. The accord put an end to nearly four-decades of armed tensions.
Aliyev added that the Parliament has adopted 14 resolutions critical of Azerbaijan, describing the record as “a kind of obsession” with the country.
He also announced that Azerbaijan’s parliament will suspend cooperation with the European Parliament across all areas.
While he criticised the parliament, he welcomed the efforts of the European Commission in fostering relations as Brussels looks to expand its bilateral relationship with Baku, an exporter of oil and gas, and engage with the wider South Caucasus region.
Metsola responded shortly afterwards, defending the parliament’s role.
“The European Parliament is a directly elected democratic body, with resolutions adopted by a majority,” she said. “We understand that outcomes may be uncomfortable for some, but we will never change the way we work.”
According to European Parliament sources speaking to Euronews, Aliyev’s remarks were not scheduled, prompting Metsola to ask for the floor to clear the parliament’s record.
The European Political Community is being held in Yerevan, Armenia, and brings together leaders from nearly 50 European countries and is seen as an opportunity to advance diplomatic relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan.
The next EPC summit is scheduled to take place in Azerbaijan in May 2028.
Aliyev will meet Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni in Baku later on Monday and EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas on Tuesday.
Azerbaijan suspends ties with European Parliament
The European Parliament’s most recent resolution on Azerbaijan was adopted last week in Strasbourg, focusing largely on democratic resilience in Armenia, while raising concerns for Baku.
The resolution called for the right of return of Armenians who fled the region in 2023 after an armed conflict broke out over a disputed region. It described the detention of Armenian prisoners of war by Azerbaijan as “unjust” and urged their “immediate and unconditional release.”
According to the resolution, Armenians should be granted “the protection of their identity, property, and cultural heritage”.
Previous resolutions have echoed similar concerns, including criticism of Azerbaijani military actions in the region.
Azerbaijan’s parliament approved a resolution on Friday by a special parliamentary commission that was established to address what it called “hostile activities” towards the country, following multiple critical resolutions from the European Parliament.
Hikmet Hajiyev, assistant to the President of Azerbaijan and head of the Foreign Policy Affairs Department of the Presidential Administration, called the European Parliament resolution as “a diplomatic disgrace and diplomatic failure”, and accused members of the parliament of “creating obstacles to a peace process.”