South Caucasus in Trump’s focus: Azerbaijan’s key role Article by The Washington Times

An article by Hollie McKay, foreign policy analyst, in the Washington Times highlights Azerbaijan’s recent strategic moves under President Ilham Aliyev, signalling a shift in the South Caucasus balance of power. Caliber.Az presents an excerpt for readers, focusing on Aliyev’s decision to lift long-standing trade and transit restrictions with Armenia. McKay notes that this move reinforces the Trump-brokered peace accords and the so-called Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity, linking Azerbaijan to the wider region. She emphasises that Azerbaijan is positioning itself as a reliable Western partner, bridging Europe, the Middle East, and Central Asia while promoting stability and economic integration.

"On October 21, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev made a decision that could reshape the balance of power in one of the world’s most strategically vital crossroads.

During a visit to Kazakhstan, he overturned long-standing restrictions on trade and transit across Azerbaijan’s border with Armenia.

It was a small but historic act that symbolised something once thought impossible: reconciliation after decades of war.

This move reinforces the Trump-brokered peace accords signed in August. It strengthens the Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity, a trade and transport corridor linking Azerbaijan to its landlocked Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic and beyond.

The TRIPP is more than infrastructure. It’s a geopolitical lifeline connecting pro-Western partners and giving the United States long-term influence in a region long dominated by Russia and Iran.
Aliyev’s actions aren’t just about trade; they are also part of a broader strategy of realignment. Azerbaijan is signalling that its future lies with the United States and its allies, not with Moscow or Tehran.

The results are already visible. On October 13, at the invitation of Mr. Trump and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi, Mr. Aliyev attended the Sharm el-Sheikh summit, which brought an end to the Israel-Hamas war.

Baku’s participation highlighted Azerbaijan’s growing role as a bridge between Muslim nations and the West and as a quiet but capable partner in Middle East diplomacy. It’s a tangible result of the Trump approach to peace through strength.

Azerbaijan is also one of Israel’s most valuable partners in the Muslim world and possesses the potential to become part of the Abraham Accords. The two nations have had three decades of deep defense cooperation.

Moreover, despite being a Muslim-majority nation, Azerbaijan has consistently rejected extremism, proving that a country can embrace its Islamic identity and still be a trusted ally of the West. It’s precisely the kind of model Washington should reward.

That’s why the Trump administration’s restoration of Section 907 of the 1992 Freedom Support Act waiver was necessary and strategic. Section 907 restricts U.S. military aid to Azerbaijan, an outdated relic of post-Cold War politics that no longer reflects reality.

Trump’s reinstatement of the waiver in August was a step in the right direction, but the 907 needs to be abolished altogether through legislative action by Congress. This move would open the door to permanent, deeper cooperation between Washington and Baku — in defense, counterterrorism and energy security — and signal to adversaries that America stands with nations that choose peace and partnership.

The South Caucasus is the gateway conjoining Europe, the Middle East and Central Asia. The world authority that controls this strategic corridor dictates access to key global assets, including international trade networks, energy infrastructure and security lanes.

This geopolitical reality was understood by Mr. Trump, who successfully brokered a peace deal that prioritized stability and regional economic integration over continued hostility. This is a foreign policy strategy built on results, not rhetoric.

Trump’s “America First” strategy rewards true allies and deters adversaries, securing U.S. interests while fostering real peace. Azerbaijan has chosen partnership over conflict, and if the Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity succeeds, it will anchor America’s influence in a critical region," McKay writes.

Editor's note: Hollie McKay is a war correspondent and foreign policy analyst who has spent two decades reporting from conflict zones. She currently serves as research director for GlobalStrat, a geopolitical risk and intelligence firm.