South Caucasus in focus: Armenia’s role in US politics What will Papikyan bring back from Washington?

Armenian Defence Minister Suren Papikyan recently embarked on a working visit to the United States, but the details of his trip remain undisclosed. This is not the first time his visit has been shrouded in secrecy—during his previous trip to the US in September 2022, the goals and agenda were also kept confidential. However, the context of this visit is clear, especially given the increasing strategic cooperation between the US and Armenia.

In June 2024, US Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs, James O’Brien, during his visit to Yerevan, announced that the US wants “to raise the strategic dialogue to the level of a strategic commission.” This statement effectively confirmed the US's commitment to honouring the agreements reached in Brussels on April 5, in the trilateral Armenia — US — EU framework.

Under the new framework of relations, the US has pledged to provide Armenia with funds through the Foreign Military Financing (FMF) program, aimed at easing Armenia's access to advanced military equipment and cutting-edge technologies. To recap, the Foreign Military Financing (FMF) program is one of the key tools of US foreign policy designed to support American allies and partners by providing grants or loans for the purchase of equipment, training, and military needs.

In this context, Caliber.Az previously reported that through the FMF program, the US intends to ease Armenia’s access to modern military technologies and high-tech equipment. They also plan to work on accelerating the widespread use of GPS (Global Positioning System) technology throughout Armenia. This suggests that the Armenian Defense Minister’s trip to Washington may be aimed at discussing the expansion of military and defence cooperation, which includes training officers and technical specialists to operate advanced American weaponry that could be supplied to Armenia.

Notably, following the strengthening of strategic cooperation, the US has already carried out direct arms deliveries to Armenia. As previously reported, according to global flight tracking service Flightradar, on August 2 and 3, two military planes departed from US military bases in Romania and the Middle East and landed at Armenia's Zvartnots Airport.

As part of the secret provisions in the document signed on April 5 in Brussels, which outlines military cooperation, Armenia’s Armed Forces have received advanced weaponry from the US This includes sniper rifles, night-vision devices, specialized communication equipment, bulletproof vests for Armenian special forces, strike mini-drones, small-scale mines used by the US military, and other munitions.

In this context, Caliber.Az, citing well-informed sources, reported that one of the two planes delivered specialized equipment for tracking the trajectories of missiles and other airborne objects launched from Iranian territory. This also fits within the scope of the Eagle Partner exercises, which took place in Armenia from July 15 to 24, involving both Armenian and US military forces.

All these facts suggest that the current administration in the White House intends to destabilize the South Caucasus to create chaos on the borders of Russia and Iran. By advancing its interests in the region through Armenia and actively militarizing Yerevan, the US is not only creating tensions with Azerbaijan but also jeopardizing the stability and security of the region.

Meanwhile, it is clear that with the arrival of Donald Trump in the US presidency, Washington’s policy towards the South Caucasus is likely to undergo significant changes. Perhaps this is why Yerevan is in such a rush, sending its defence minister to Washington—hoping to catch the last train out before the shift in US policy takes full effect.