Armenia’s capital, Yerevan, welcomed Vice President JD Vance on Monday, marking a significant moment in U.S.-Armenian relations as he becomes the first sitting U.S. vice president to visit the nation. His visit aims to promote discussions surrounding a crucial U.S.-brokered deal intended to bring an end to a decades-long conflict with Azerbaijan.
The Vice President, alongside his wife Usha, was received with ceremonial honors including a red carpet and an honor guard. His arrival coincided with protests, reflecting mixed sentiments among the local population regarding U.S. foreign policy.
Vance's agenda includes meetings with Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, who recently signed an agreement in Washington aimed at reopening vital transport routes with Azerbaijan. The preliminary approval of a peace treaty was also discussed, but formal ratification is still pending from both countries' parliaments.
Following his stay in Armenia, Vance is expected to visit Azerbaijan, continuing his efforts to mediate peace between the two nations.
Pashinyan and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev are participants in President Trump’s newly constituted Board of Peace, designed to oversee a bolder peace initiative that initially began with plans for a ceasefire in Gaza.
The proposed deal includes establishing a transit route named the Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity, which aims to create vital connections between Azerbaijan and its exclave, Nakhchivan, separated by a narrow stretch of Armenian territory. This has been a significant point of contention in the long-standing conflict that has seen fluctuating control over the Nagorno-Karabakh region.
