Yerevan, Azerbaijan – Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev announced on Monday, May 4, 2026, the suspension of his country’s relations with the European Parliament. He also sharply accused the European legislative body of undermining the peace process with Armenia over the past five years instead of supporting it.
Aliyev made these remarks during a video conference address to the European Political Community summit being held in the Armenian capital, Yerevan.
Hostile decisions and misinformation
Aliyev noted that the European Parliament had issued at least 14 resolutions between May 2021 and April 30, 2026. He described these resolutions as containing blatant insults and misinformation about his country.
The Azerbaijani president pointed out that the most recent of these resolutions was issued just four days before the current summit. He considered it a calculated and carefully timed move to obstruct stabilization efforts.
Escalatory measures from the Azerbaijani parliament
On a practical level, Aliyev revealed that the Azerbaijani parliament adopted a series of stringent measures on May 1, 2026, in response to these policies. These measures included suspending comprehensive cooperation with the European Parliament at all levels.
The measures also included withdrawing from the Joint Committee on Parliamentary Cooperation between the European Union and Azerbaijan. Furthermore, the parliament officially initiated the process of withdrawing from the Euronets Parliamentary Assembly.
Sensitive timing and strained relations
This move comes at a critical juncture in the Azerbaijani-Armenian peace negotiations. At this stage, international actors are striving to establish a final settlement to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and its repercussions.
This decision reflects escalating tensions in Baku’s relations with European Union political institutions. Simultaneously, Azerbaijan is attempting to maintain pragmatic relations with Brussels on economic matters, particularly in the energy sector, which forms a cornerstone of cooperation between the two sides.
