U.S. deepens ties with Armenia and Azerbaijan one year after peace pact

A year after the 2025 Washington peace accord, the United States has expanded cooperation with Armenia on AI, minerals and nuclear projects and broadened its strategic partnership with Azerbaijan across energy, defense and economics.

One year after the Washington peace declaration that brought Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and President Donald Trump together, the United States has markedly expanded its influence in the South Caucasus. Armenia has moved from humanitarian assistance to joint ventures in artificial intelligence, critical minerals and nuclear power, signing memoranda of understanding and securing Department of Commerce approval for a major AI manufacturing facility.

Azerbaijan, already a long-time U.S. energy partner, has formalized a strategic partnership that now includes defense, economics and even AI, while maintaining its core energy and counter-terrorism cooperation. Both ambassadors emphasized the “Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity” (TRIPP), a U.S.-majority-owned 27-mile corridor through Armenian territory intended to link Azerbaijan’s Nakhchivan exclave with broader regional networks, though construction remains in feasibility studies.

Russia and Iran have expressed unease, but officials from both countries say the projects are not directed against any third state and welcome possible future Russian involvement. The United States has reiterated its commitment to the initiatives despite regional tensions, including the recent U.S.-Iran conflict.