The Rise of Italy-Azerbaijan Relations: A Strategic Partnership Bridging Europe and the South Caucasus

This article analyzes the evolution of relations between Italy and Azerbaijan from energy-driven cooperation to a multidimensional strategic partnership. It raises questions about how energy interdependence reshaped Italy’s role in the South Caucasus and how Azerbaijan’s diversification strategy underpins expanding engagement with a major EU and NATO member. The research first examines the diplomatic foundations that institutionalized bilateral dialogue and built political trust. It then explores energy cooperation - centered on the Trans-Adriatic Pipeline (TAP) - as the structural backbone of the relationship, before assessing defense-industrial collaboration, particularly through cooperation with Leonardo S.p.A. and NATO interoperability initiatives. The article further considers reconstruction initiatives, technological integration, and public diplomacy, including the establishment of the joint Italy-Azerbaijan University. It argues that the partnership reflects a cumulative strategic logic in which energy created trust, which in turn enabled technological and security integration, reinforcing long-term alignment. Consequently, Italy-Azerbaijan relations exemplify how middle powers construct strategic depth through sectoral interdependence rather than formal block-style alliances.