US eyes closer ties with Azerbaijan to boost South Caucasus economy

The United States has expressed its eagerness to begin closer cooperation with Azerbaijan, aiming to tap into the South Caucasus region’s significant economic potential.

In a statement, a spokesperson for the US State Department highlighted the importance of building on the outcomes of last year’s historic summit between Baku and Yerevan on August 8, Caliber.Az reports via local media. 

“Drawing on the results of the landmark meeting between Baku and Yerevan, the United States looks forward to working with Azerbaijan to advance President Trump’s vision for peace and prosperity, and to unlock the rich economic potential of the South Caucasus,” the statement said.

On August 8, 2025, a Joint Declaration was signed in Washington during a summit hosted by U.S. President Donald Trump, attended by Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan.

The leaders endorsed a joint declaration outlining a seven-point framework emphasising sovereignty, territorial integrity, and the renunciation of force.

Foreign ministers from both nations initialled a draft “Agreement on Establishment of Peace and Inter-State Relations,” witnessed by Trump, Aliyev, and Pashinyan. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio praised the deal as a historic step toward enduring peace.

A key feature of the agreement is the creation of the “Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity” (TRIPP), also called the Zangezur Corridor — a transit passage through Armenia’s Syunik province connecting mainland Azerbaijan to its Nakhchivan exclave.

By Aghakazim Guliyev