The Washington Accords, brokered by U.S. President Donald Trump, have reshaped the strategic balance in the South Caucasus and strengthened America’s position. According to The Washington Times, the shift reflects a broader realignment driven by security, transport corridors.
The report says, the Trump administration used executive powers to lift Section 907 restrictions, in place since 1992, to improve relations with Azerbaijan. The law remains in Congress, but Trump supporters are pushing for its permanent repeal.
“The Trump administration demonstrated a lot of dedication to our agenda of peace,” Hikmet Hajiyev, Assistant to the President of Azerbaijan told The Washington Times, adding that “Trump’s immediate reciprocity and full engagement” helped build momentum for the agreement.
Despite this shift, some lawmakers continue to advocate policies that analysts quoted in the report say inadvertently benefit Russia by limiting U.S. involvement. Brenda Shaffer of the Naval Postgraduate School said Azerbaijan’s geography makes it strategically unique.
“Azerbaijan matters strategically because it is the only country in the world that borders Russia and Iran,” she said.
The Washington Times underscores that Azerbaijan is a key partner for the U.S. and Israel, supplying 40–50% of Israel’s crude oil and relying on Israeli companies for military support.
“Israel and Azerbaijan have a real strategic alliance,” Ms. Shaffer said. “It goes far beyond oil and arms and has been developing steadily for three decades.”
The country is also boosting investment in the Middle Corridor, a transport route linking Central Asia to Europe via the Caspian. Container traffic at Baku port rose by over 30% in 2025, while railway restoration in Nakhchivan will secure access to Türkiye and Europe independently of Russia or Armenia.
At the center of the political dispute is Section 907 of the 1992 Freedom Support Act, which restricted U.S. aid to Azerbaijan following the first Karabakh war. Although presidents have waiver authority, the provision still requires annual renewal. The Trump administration argues this undermines long-term diplomacy.
“Both governments, Azerbaijan and Armenia, are making an uphill struggle of strengthening the peace,” Hikmet Hajiyev said. “But some in Congress are introducing completely unnecessary and divisive legislative acts.”
Analysts cited by The Washington Times say the main strategic challenge for both Azerbaijan and Armenia is Russia, rather than their bilateral conflict. While Azerbaijan reclaimed its territories in 2020, Armenian minefields and damaged infrastructure require long-term reconstruction.
The report adds that the U.S. and Armenia are negotiating joint management of infrastructure under the 'International Route for Peace and Prosperity,' with U.S. Ambassador Kristina Kvien saying relations now reach a strategic partnership level.
But Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan emphasised deeper ties with Washington do not mean a rupture with Moscow.
The Washington Times highlights Azerbaijan's efforts to building a brighter future for the region. Azerbaijan is fostering economic interdependence with Armenia, exporting oil products and facilitating grain shipments to Armenian markets.
Georgia has unveiled a new funding model for public universities, highlighting the different ways higher education is financed across the South Caucas...
Tehran had made plans to strike sites in Ukraine after Kyiv attacked an Iranian cargo ship in the Caspian Sea, a senior Iranian military adviser has s...
Romania blasted a rock outcrop to redirect cooling water from the drought-hit Danube River to its only operating nuclear reactor. The unprecedented me...
U.S. President Donald Trump says Iran has a "last chance" to sign what he described as "a good document", claiming talks are continuing at Tehran's request with backing from Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Qatar.
U.S. President Donald Trump said late on Saturday he would hold off on a fresh attack on Iran as long as a deal could be reached quickly to halt Iran's nuclear ambitions and reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
Indonesian rescue teams are searching for 28 people still unaccounted for, three days after a passenger ferry caught fire off the coast of Madura island.
Tehran had made plans to strike sites in Ukraine after Kyiv attacked an Iranian cargo ship in the Caspian Sea, a senior Iranian military adviser has said. Iran refrained from taking action after Kyiv said the strike was a mistake, Mohsen Rezaei told the state IRIB TV channel.
Two firefighting helicopters collided while battling a major wildfire in Greece on Sunday, killing two crew members as emergency services continued efforts to contain fires fuelled by extreme heat and dry conditions across Europe.
Georgia has unveiled a new funding model for public universities, highlighting the different ways higher education is financed across the South Caucasus. While Georgia, Azerbaijan and Armenia all provide state support, their funding systems differ significantly.
Member states of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) are expected to discuss suspending Armenia's voting rights at a summit in Moscow in November, according to a senior Russian official.
President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev's approval of a protocol signed on 10 July to provide financial assistance to the Embassy of the State of Palestine in Azerbaijan has renewed attention on Baku's carefully calibrated approach to the Palestinian issue.
Georgia has officially begun dredging works for the long-awaited Anaklia Deepwater Port after the arrival of the first dredging vessel, marking a significant milestone in one of the country's most ambitious infrastructure projects.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment