U.S. steps up South Caucasus push as Vance visits Armenia and Azerbaijan, bypasses Georgia

As Armenia prepares for parliamentary elections in June, the contest unfolding here is about far more than party platforms and campaign slogans. It has become a test of whether the small South Caucasus nation can consolidate its fragile democracy while resisting renewed pressure from Moscow — and whether Europe is willing to help.

U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance’s trip to the capitals of Armenia and Azerbaijan is set to have serious and long-term consequences for the South Caucasus region.

In Abu Dhabi, Armenia and Azerbaijan Test a New Map of Peace

When Azerbaijan’s president, Ilham Aliyev, confirmed Baku’s participation in Donald Trump’s newly created “Peace Council,” the decision initially seemed unexpected. The organization emerged from an American plan for Gaza, it has already faced accusations of undermining the United Nations, and its structure is explicitly personalized around Trump himself.