In a speech at the summit on Wednesday, Aliyev, who is hosting the talks, lambasted Paris and The Hague for their "colonial rule" in overseas territories and described Brussels as a symbol of "political corruption".

"These unacceptable statements risk to undermine the conference's vital climate objectives and the credibility of Azerbaijan's COP29 presidency," EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell posted on X.

The spat comes as COP29 is already suffering from divisions over funding for climate action, with major leaders including US President Joe Biden and China's Xi Jinping sitting out the talks.

The European Union and its member states "are the biggest contributor to global climate finance", wrote Borrell, who was also personally attacked by Aliyev, describing the authoritarian leader's allegations as "most regrettable".

We also reject (Azerbaijani) authorities' attacks against media and NGOs facing the critical situation of human rights in the country," he added.

Aliyev had accused France of "crimes" and "human rights violations" in its overseas territories including New Caledonia in the south Pacific, where 13 people were killed this year in protests over a contested voting reform.

Addressing COP29 delegates, he hit out at the EU and the Council of Europe human rights body, calling them "symbols of political corruption that share responsibility" with Paris "for the killings of innocent people".

He also accused Borrell of having compared the rest of the world to a jungle while Europe was a garden. "If we are the jungles," Aliyev said, "then stay away from us and don't interfere in our affairs."

In the run-up to the climate summit, Azerbaijan was widely denounced for its human rights record and repression of the opposition.

Aliyev has ruled his gas-rich country with an iron fist for more than two decades.

Relations between Paris and Baku were already frosty over France's longtime support for Azerbaijan's arch-rival Armenia.

French President Emmanuel Macron has also stayed away from COP29 and his environment minister Agnes Pannier-Runacher has said she will now also skip the gathering.