Quick Read
- U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance will visit Armenia and Azerbaijan in February 2026.
- The visit aims to advance a U.S.-brokered peace agreement signed in August 2025.
- President Trump announced plans to strengthen strategic partnership with Azerbaijan and pursue peaceful nuclear cooperation with Armenia.
- The ‘Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity’ (TRIPP) initiative, a regional connectivity project, will be promoted.
- Both Armenia and Azerbaijan have agreed to join Trump’s newly unveiled ‘Board of Peace’ international body.
WASHINGTON (Azat TV) – U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance is scheduled to visit Armenia and Azerbaijan in February to advance peace efforts and promote the “Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity” (TRIPP) initiative, President Donald Trump announced Saturday. The visit follows a U.S.-brokered peace agreement signed last August between the two South Caucasus nations, which President Trump credited as one of several conflicts resolved under his administration.
Vance’s Mission: Building on Peace and Prosperity
In a post on his Truth Social platform on Saturday, January 24, President Trump thanked Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan for upholding the August peace deal. Trump highlighted the agreement as part of a record of conflicts he stated were ended during his leadership. The President’s announcement emphasized that Vice President Vance’s trip aims to build on these peace efforts and further the “Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity.”
Beyond the peace initiative, Trump outlined broader U.S. strategic objectives for the region. He stated that the United States would strengthen its strategic partnership with Azerbaijan, including expanding sales of U.S.-made defense equipment such as body armor and boats, and reaching deals benefiting U.S. semiconductor companies. For Armenia, the President announced plans to pursue a peaceful nuclear cooperation agreement, signaling a diversified approach to engagement with both countries.
The TRIPP Initiative and Regional Connectivity
The Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity (TRIPP) is a significant connectivity project envisaged under the U.S.-brokered Armenian-Azerbaijani joint declaration signed in Washington, D.C., last August. This initiative is designed to reopen regional transport links, specifically connecting mainland Azerbaijan to its exclave of Nakhchivan via Armenian territory. According to the Azerbaijani presidency, TRIPP holds an “important role” in regional connectivity and is expected to unlock strategic economic opportunities, create long-term benefits through infrastructure investment, and enhance overall regional integration.
TRIPP is presented as an integral part of the broader “Crossroads of Peace” project, with an Armenian-American joint enterprise expected to develop the route. The initiative’s focus on economic cooperation and infrastructure development underscores a shift towards practical, tangible outcomes following years of conflict between the two nations.
Davos Discussions and the Board of Peace
The announcement of Vice President Vance’s visit comes shortly after a meeting between President Trump and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. During their discussions, Aliyev highlighted the “important role” of TRIPP in regional connectivity and expressed satisfaction with the development of bilateral ties across various fields since Trump assumed office in January 2025. The Azerbaijani presidency noted that Aliyev also addressed steps taken towards normalizing relations between Baku and Yerevan, pointing to emerging trade relations, such as the export of oil products from Azerbaijan to Armenia and the delivery of imported grain to Armenia through Azerbaijan, as evidence that “peace already exists in the region.”
Earlier in Davos, President Trump formally unveiled his “Board of Peace,” an international body he chairs, envisioned to work in partnership with the United Nations to address global crises beyond the Gaza Strip. Initially conceived to oversee the Gaza ceasefire and post-war reconstruction, the initiative has expanded into a broader conflict-mediation body. Both Azerbaijan and Armenia have agreed to join the board, alongside other countries, further integrating them into U.S.-led international diplomatic efforts.
U.S. Engagement in the South Caucasus
The U.S.-brokered peace agreement signed in August 2025, which President Trump continues to laud, marked a significant diplomatic achievement. Vice President Vance’s upcoming visit is a direct follow-up, aiming to solidify the fragile peace and operationalize the economic and strategic components of the agreement. The emphasis on both security cooperation with Azerbaijan and peaceful nuclear cooperation with Armenia demonstrates a nuanced U.S. foreign policy attempting to balance regional interests and foster stability through diverse means.
The sustained high-level engagement from the U.S., including the Vice President’s direct involvement and the promotion of the TRIPP initiative, signals a strategic commitment to anchoring stability and economic integration in the South Caucasus, moving beyond mere conflict resolution towards long-term regional development.