Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev expressed surprise over European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen’s comments during the EU–Central Asia leaders’ summit in Uzbekistan, where she spoke about the possibility of opening borders between Armenia and Azerbaijan, and between Armenia and Turkey, in support of the Middle Corridor, also known in Europe as the "Global Gateway."

At the international forum themed “Towards a new world order,” Aliyev called von der Leyen’s statements odd, Haqqin.az reported.

“Of course, it was very strange, because that corridor already exists, and Armenia plays no role in it. We understand the emotional attachment of European bureaucrats toward Armenia, but you cannot ignore the map. It was we—Georgia and Azerbaijan—who created the infrastructure that now allows Europe to cooperate with Central Asia… All of this is being ignored. And think about the investments made—also ignored,” Aliyev said.

“We only hear calls to open the borders between Turkey and Armenia, and between Armenia and Azerbaijan. What does Europe have to do with this? Relations between Turkey and Armenia, and between Azerbaijan and Armenia, are none of Europe’s business. The further the European Union stays from these matters, the better it will be for everyone,” he added.

Von der Leyen had earlier stated: “But the infrastructure chain remains incomplete. To reach the Black Sea, it’s also crucial to have smooth border transitions between Central Asia and the South Caucasus. Opening the borders between Armenia and its neighbors after three decades of closure would be a game changer. It would bring Europe and Central Asia closer than ever before.”