“Peace is not just about signing treaties - it’s about communication, interaction and integration,” Sultan Zahidov, leading adviser at the AIR Center, told AnewZ, suggesting U.S. Vice President JD Vance's visit to the South Caucasus could advance the peace agenda between Azerbaijan and Armenia.
Zahidov said the visit, scheduled to take place from 9 to 11 February, is expected to focus on regional connectivity, particularly the Zangazur corridor, which he described as a strategic infrastructure project with implications extending far beyond transport.
According to the expert, the corridor is not only vital for linking Azerbaijan with its exclave Nakhchivan and providing an alternative route to Türkiye, but also for fostering long-term regional stability.
He referenced political scientist Johan Galtung’s concept of “positive peace,” which emphasizes economic cooperation and open communication over the mere absence of conflict.
“To achieve positive peace you need open borders, joint economic projects and sustained interaction,” Zahidov said, adding that Azerbaijan has actively pursued this approach since restoring its sovereignty and territorial integrity.
He noted that Azerbaijan is nearing completion of its railway infrastructure to the western border and expects reciprocal steps from Armenia.
“We are waiting for similar activity from the Armenian side,” Zahidov said.
Beyond connectivity, Zahidov said the talks are likely to cover a broad agenda, including the economy, investment, artificial intelligence, digital transformation and defence industry cooperation.
Zahidov also pointed to recent visits to Azerbaijan by representatives of the U.S. Departments of Commerce and Defense, during which President Ilham Aliyev reiterated Baku’s priorities under the Washington Declaration, signed on 8 August 2025.
Since the declaration was signed, Zahidov said Azerbaijan has sent four delegations to Washington to engage on energy, trade, investment and emerging technologies, particularly AI.
He described the upcoming meeting as historic, noting that it would mark the highest-level visit by a U.S. official to Azerbaijan since 2008, when then Vice President Dick Cheney visited Baku.
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