U.S. and Azerbaijan Sign Strategic Partnership Agreement to Enhance Economic and Security Cooperation

The United States and Azerbaijan have signed a strategic partnership agreement aimed at deepening economic and security cooperation, while expanding U.S. influence in the South Caucasus region. According to Jin10, Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev and visiting U.S. Vice President Vance signed the agreement in Baku on Tuesday. Vance's visit also included a stop in Armenia, Azerbaijan's long-term neighbor and rival. Aliyev stated that the cooperation between the two nations will enter a 'new stage' in areas such as defense trade and artificial intelligence, with continued collaboration in energy security and counterterrorism. The framework for the agreement was initially proposed last August during a meeting between Aliyev and U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House, following a peace agreement between Azerbaijan and Armenia to end a long-standing conflict. During his visit to Armenia, Vance also signed another agreement with Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, paving the way for the construction of a nuclear power plant by the United States in the region.