BAKU, Azerbaijan, August 11. The President of the US, Donald Trump, aims to ensure durable peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan through bilateral cooperation. In Azerbaijan's case, the US recognizes that the country is the undisputed number-one power in the Caucasus, with dominance over Georgia and Armenia particularly evident in energy, military affairs, trade routes, and diplomacy, Salvatore Santangelo, an Italian political scientist, told Trend.
"The United States aims to build a lasting peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan through investments, trade, and infrastructure development. The Trump administration successfully negotiated a comprehensive deal that satisfies all parties involved - consisting of mutual recognition, acknowledgment of border disputes that need resolution, and the establishment of peace-fostering infrastructure such as the US-safeguarded TRIPP. By directly entering the South Caucasus through a 99-year lease of the Armenian side of the TRIPP, Trump hopes to prevent future conflicts, with the American presence specifically designed for this purpose," he said.
Furthermore, Santangelo added that by collaborating with Türkiye, the region's emerging problem-solver, the United States aims to marginalize the Russians, whose influence is increasingly waning in the area.
"However, it is important to note that Russia will continue to play a role in the South Caucasus, which is expected to become a critical component of the under-construction International North-South Transport Corridor. Trump does not seek to expel the Russians from the region - geography cannot be changed - but rather hopes to leverage their eroding power to allow the United States to advance its position in the Caucasus, with the prospect of greater exposure to Central Asia," the analyst explained.
According to Santangelo, the establishment of the Strategic Working Group is very significant and represents a major step towards replacing the ineffective OSCE-backed Minsk Group, which has failed in its promise to maintain peace in the South Caucasus.
"Azerbaijan is home to a world-class school of negotiators who have demonstrated their skills multiple times in recent years, as exemplified by the Azerbaijan-facilitated Syria-Israel dialogue. The US-Azerbaijan strategic partnership aims to enhance existing dialogue with the goal of mutual strengthening on the world stage," he added.
A political scientist pointed out that the US has historically maintained good relations with both Azerbaijan and Armenia, which is one of the key reasons why Trump was able to achieve this historic milestone.
"American influence is at an all-time high, particularly due to Türkiye's growing role in the region, increasing the likelihood of positively shaping Azerbaijani and Armenian attitudes on various matters. In addition to Turkish support, the United States is strategically positioned to enter the Zangezur Corridor through a field presence on its Armenian side, known as TRIPP. Furthermore, their awareness of the developments in the region will be enhanced by Trump's plan to expand the American diplomatic network in Armenia and Azerbaijan. Overall, by promoting trade interconnectivity and facilitating bilateral dialogue, it is expected that the two countries will ultimately resolve their long-standing issues," he concluded.