Latvian President Egils Levits has emphasized Azerbaijan's importance in ensuring energy security for the European Union (EU). Following a meeting with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev on Wednesday, Levits said that the development prospects of bilateral cooperation, the situation in Ukraine, and Azerbaijan-EU relations were discussed.

"Azerbaijan is a reliable partner of the EU, particularly in terms of energy supply. Since we stopped importing natural gas from Russia, the EU is looking for new suppliers. In this regard, Azerbaijan is an important partner for the EU in ensuring energy security. We are very interested in developing relations between the EU and Azerbaijan," Levits said.

Levits also noted that there is considerable potential for commercial and economic cooperation between Baku and Riga. "In recent years, there has been a positive trend in this regard, and we will continue in this direction. Latvia's information technology sector is very developed, and Azerbaijan has good potential in renewable energy. We also see the potential for developing cooperation in science and education."