US blocks Azerbaijani gas supplies via ‘Vertical Corridor’

The United States has blocked the delivery of Azerbaijani gas to Ukraine through the so-called “Vertical Corridor,” an infrastructure chain of pipelines running along the Greece–Bulgaria–Romania–Moldova route. According to reports, Washington’s official justification is its demand that American companies be granted exclusive rights to supply liquefied natural gas (LNG) to Ukraine. In reality, Azerbaijani outlets claim this is an attempt by the U.S. to secure priority for its own LNG in Central and Eastern European markets ahead of the 2025–2026 winter season.

Sources within the Greek government have confirmed that the United States has imposed a veto on Azerbaijani pipeline gas deliveries through this route. The main reason cited is the high competitiveness of Azerbaijani gas supplied to Greece via the Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP).

The Greek publication energia.gr notes that “despite the political noise, Azerbaijan provides Europe with a small but strategically important share of gas imports, offering an alternative to Russian supplies.” Moreover, according to 2024 data, Azerbaijan produces 24.4 million tons of oil and 25.2 billion cubic meters of natural gas annually — output that “eliminates the need to purchase Russian gas for re-export.”

As a result, the United States — now the largest LNG supplier to Europe — is actively seeking to maintain its market dominance and minimize competition. SOCAR’s annual LNG deliveries to Europe amount to around 10 billion cubic meters, and TAP’s capacity is expected to double to 20 billion cubic meters in the coming years.