BRUSSELS, 11 March,2026- A prominent group of 36 Members of the European Parliament, representing the major political groups, has issued a formal letter to the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Kaja Kallas, demanding a fundamental “reassessment and strengthening” of the EU’s policy toward Azerbaijan.
Through the initiative of MEP Marie Toussaint, the letter follows a series of alarming developments, including the recent sentencing of Armenian prisoners from Nagorno-Karabakh to life imprisonment and documented evidence of Azerbaijan helping Russia circumvent EU sanctions.
“Continued engagement without meaningful conditionality risks undermining the credibility of the European Union,” the signatories warn, citing a “systematic repression” of political opposition and a “hostile” rejection of EU diplomatic efforts by the Azerbaijani Parliament (Milli Majlis).
A central focus of the MEPs’ demand is the unresolved humanitarian crisis following the 2023 military offensive. The letter explicitly condemns the “continued denial of the rights of Armenians from Nagorno-Karabakh,” emphasizing that there is currently no credible framework for their right of return nor any functional mechanism for economic compensation for those displaced.
“The EU cannot remain silent while the fundamental rights of an entire population are erased,” the signatories state, noting that the Euronest Parliamentary Assembly has already recalled the urgent need to address the status of displaced persons and the release of political prisoners.
The coalition of MEPs is calling for five immediate actions:
- A Human Rights Review: A comprehensive audit of the EU-Azerbaijan Partnership and Cooperation Agreement.
- Targeted Sanctions: Activation of the EU Global Human Rights Sanctions Regime against those responsible for arbitrary detentions.
- High-Level Dialogue: An urgent summit to address the rights of displaced Armenians and the release of political prisoners.
- Energy Suspension: The freezing of enhanced energy cooperation until Azerbaijan demonstrates tangible progress on human rights and sanctions compliance.
- Anti-Circumvention Measures: Restrictive measures against entities, including the state-owned SOCAR, involved in facilitating Russian oil exports.
The letter highlights the February 2026 sentencing of figures such as Ruben Vardanyan and Arayik Harutyunyan as a violation of international humanitarian standards. Furthermore, it points to the role of Azerbaijani nationals and networks in “shadow fleet” operations that allow Russian oil to bypass EU restrictions.
The MEPs conclude that the parliamentary momentum built throughout late 2025 provides a “clear political mandate” for Kaja Kallas to move beyond rhetoric and take principled action to defend the rule of law and international integrity.
