Armenia and Azerbaijan have become a central example of Donald Trump’s foreign policy approach for his administration. At the first meeting of the “Peace Council” in Washington, Trump singled out Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, saying that after 32 years of conflict the two sides had managed to move closer with his involvement.
On August 8, 2025, a peace agreement was initialed at the White House, alongside the Washington Declaration. The document requires the parties to drop territorial claims and reopen transport links. The United States, in turn, received exclusive rights to develop the TRIPP route, the corridor linking Azerbaijan with Nakhchivan through Armenian territory.
In February 2026, US Vice President J.D. Vance visited Yerevan and Baku. In the Armenian capital, he publicly backed Pashinyan ahead of parliamentary elections and said he expected a durable peace with Azerbaijan. During the visit, the sides signed a “123 Agreement” on nuclear cooperation, opening the way for US technology exports and small modular reactors.
According to Vance, the United States is ready to provide up to $9 billion, with part intended for technology exports and part for fuel and maintenance contracts. This issue is critical for Armenia because the Metsamor nuclear power plant, which supplies about 40% of the country’s electricity, is due to shut down in 2036, although extending its operation remains possible.
At the same time, Washington is expanding its technological and military presence. Armenia received export licenses for 40,000 NVIDIA chips for AI and data-center projects, as well as US-made V-Bat reconnaissance drones worth $11 million. Regional analysts say the US is strengthening its influence in the South Caucasus as Russia’s and Iran’s positions weaken.