The United States and Azerbaijan have launched technical negotiations on the TRIPP route, as global energy disruptions place Baku’s transit potential at the center of discussions on gas supplies to Europe, Euronews reports.

A US technical delegation has concluded talks in Baku on the international Trump Route for Peace and Prosperity (TRIPP), as Washington seeks to turn its new strategic partnership with Azerbaijan into concrete infrastructure projects.

The US Trade and Development Agency (USTDA)completed its visit on Wednesday, stating that its goal was to “advance shared strategic infrastructure priorities” between the two countries. This effort is part of the US–Azerbaijan Strategic Partnership Charter signed in February, when Vice President J.D. Vance visited Baku.

“Azerbaijan’s strategic geographic location makes it an indispensable transport hub along the Trans-Caspian transit route linking Central Asia with the West,” USTDA Regional Manager for Europe and Eurasia Sarah Leming told Euronews. “The Trump Route for Peace and Prosperity will make this corridor even more important. Regional connectivity is a key area of cooperation under our Strategic Partnership Charter, and USTDA is exploring this through these missions.”

The US Department of Agriculture said it is currently exploring projects with Azerbaijani counterparts in liquefied natural gas, civil nuclear energy, electricity transmission, artificial intelligence infrastructure, cybersecurity, and digital connectivity—sectors it says support Azerbaijan’s long-term energy security while advancing US economic and strategic interests.

Leming noted that the agency aims to promote early-stage infrastructure concepts through feasibility studies, technical assistance, and pilot programs designed to attract private capital.

“We see real opportunities in Azerbaijan. Since Vice President Vance and President Aliyev signed the Charter in February, the US government has been working with our Azerbaijani partners to fully implement this historic agreement through concrete projects and programs like those offered by USTDA, for the benefit of both our countries,” she said.

According to Euronews, Azerbaijan’s central role in the emerging TRIPP is no coincidence. The country has spent two decades building pipeline infrastructure that now makes it one of Europe’s most strategically important energy partners. The Baku–Tbilisi–Ceyhan (BTC) oil pipeline and the Southern Gas Corridor (SGC) together connect Caspian energy resources directly to Turkey and Europe, bypassing Russia and the Strait of Hormuz.

The BTC pipeline, linking the Caspian, Black, and Mediterranean seas, has a capacity of about 1.2 million barrels per day and transports crude oil from Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan, as well as Azerbaijan, reinforcing its role in regional diversification.

According to Azerbaijan’s State Statistics Committee, the country’s proven reserves amount to around 7 billion barrels of oil and 2.6 trillion cubic meters of natural gas. In 2025, Azerbaijan produced more than 27 million tons of crude oil and 51.5 billion cubic meters of gas—more than three times the gas output recorded in 2007.

Azerbaijan currently exports oil to nearly 30 countries and gas to 16, including 10 EU member states. With the EU’s dependence on gas imports now exceeding 85%, the Southern Gas Corridor has become a key pillar of Europe’s supply security, opening the bloc’s fourth gas corridor when Azerbaijani gas first reached Europe via the Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP) in 2020. In 2025, around 13 billion cubic meters of gas were supplied to European markets—about 60% more than in 2021.

According to Azerbaijan, the Shah Deniz field—the main source of supply along this route—has produced 267 billion cubic meters of gas and more than 52 million tons of condensate to date.

The EU and Azerbaijan are also developing three green energy corridors to deliver renewable electricity to Europe under a strategic partnership agreement signed in Bucharest in 2022 by Azerbaijan, Georgia, Romania, and Hungary. These corridors—covering the Caspian–Black Sea–Europe route, the Azerbaijan–Turkey–Europe route, and the Central Asia–Azerbaijan–Europe connection—are designed to enable large-scale trade in renewable electricity.