Baku - (AFP) - European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced Monday that the European Union is seeking to double gas imports from Azerbaijan at a time when it is searching for non-Russian sources of supply after the invasion of Ukraine.

The issue of gas supplies has become a weapon between Russia and Europe since the Russian invasion of Ukraine on February 2.

"The European Union is becoming more reliable energy suppliers. Today I am in Azerbaijan to sign a new agreement. Our goal is to double Azerbaijani gas deliveries to the European Union within a few years. (This country) will become an essential partner for security of supplies and on the path to climate neutrality," von der Leyen wrote in a tweet. ".

Ahead of the visit, the European Commission stated that "with Russia continuing to weaponize its energy resources, diversifying our energy imports is a priority for the European Union."

Last year, Azerbaijan supplied Europe with about eight billion cubic meters of natural gas through pipelines passing from Georgia and Turkey.

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev said last week that "an important document related to energy security will be signed between the European Union and Azerbaijan."

In May, EU leaders agreed to halt most Russian energy imports by the end of the year as part of the unprecedented sanctions imposed on Moscow over its military action in Ukraine.

However, the bloc refrained from banning Russian gas, which reached 155 billion cubic meters in 2021, equivalent to about 40% of Europe's needs.