As geopolitical alignments across Eurasia continue to evolve, U.S. engagement in the South Caucasus is once again drawing attention, particularly in relation to Azerbaijan, Armenia, and the broader regional peace process.
Recent signals from Washington, including President Donald Trump’s message to participants of the Baku Energy Week, have been interpreted by analysts as indicators of continuity in U.S. regional policy.
The developments come as Azerbaijan continues high-level engagement with U.S. officials on energy, trade, and regional connectivity.
Speaking to AnewZ, Glen Howard, President and Chairman of the Saratoga Foundation in Washington D.C., said U.S. policy in the region remains broadly pragmatic and focused on strategic connectivity rather than confrontation.
Howard said Azerbaijan remains an important partner for Washington in a changing geopolitical environment, particularly in the energy and connectivity space.
“The Trump administration is basically continuing its transactional connectivity with the Caucasus region,” he said, adding that Azerbaijan is “a big part of this.”
He also described the extension of the Section 907 waiver as a continuation of pragmatic cooperation, reflecting Washington’s interest in maintaining stable relations with Baku.
Section 907 of the U.S. Freedom Support Act is a provision that restricts direct U.S. government assistance to Azerbaijan. It was introduced in 1992 amid the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict and has been periodically waived by U.S. presidents since 2001.
The waiver allows Washington to maintain security and energy cooperation with Baku despite the restriction remaining formally in place.
Howard further stressed that U.S. strategic thinking is increasingly shaped by energy diversification and alternative transit routes.
“Commercial connectivity is very important,” he noted, pointing to growing U.S. attention on the Caspian region, including Azerbaijan and its role in regional gas and transport corridors.
Turning to Armenia, Howard said U.S. engagement is increasingly linked to expectations around regional normalisation between Yerevan and Baku, particularly in the context of Armenia’s upcoming elections.
He suggested that Washington’s role is primarily facilitative rather than coercive, aimed at encouraging progress in negotiations rather than dictating outcomes.
At the same time, he emphasized that political developments inside Armenia remain central to the pace of the peace process, particularly questions around constitutional change and domestic consensus needed for a final agreement.
Howard also noted that regional normalisation between Armenia and Azerbaijan is closely tied to broader U.S. interests in stability and connectivity across the South Caucasus.
Howard said Armenia continues to pursue a balancing approach in its foreign policy, navigating relations between Russia, the West, and its immediate neighbours.
He argued that this balancing act is taking place within a wider regional shift, where states are increasingly recalibrating their external alignments.
On Russia’s role, Howard said Moscow’s influence in the South Caucasus is gradually diminishing, though it still retains leverage in certain areas.
He reiterated that energy and transport routes remain central to regional competition and cooperation, particularly as global supply chains continue to diversify.
Howard concluded that while the South Caucasus remains complex and politically sensitive, the overall direction of U.S. engagement is consistent: supporting connectivity, encouraging normalisation between Armenia and Azerbaijan, and strengthening Azerbaijan’s role in regional energy infrastructure.
He described the current phase as one of cautious momentum, shaped by both domestic political cycles in Armenia and broader geopolitical shifts affecting Eurasia.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that Ukraine was carrying out tests on a new weapon to intercept dron...
Saudi Arabia said its air defences destroyed a Houthi drone south of Mecca before it could enter prohibited airspace over the holy city, as attacks...
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is outlining the EU's priorities in her annual State of the Union address, covering security...
U.S. Central Command said 101 commercial vessels have been redirected in the Strait of Hormuz, while oil prices rose more than three per cent amid fresh regional attacks and supply concerns.
U.S. President Donald Trump has again said Iran is keen to reach a deal quickly, but a senior Iranian security official rejected the claim, saying Tehran will not negotiate until its conditions are met.
A Russian strike on a farm warehouse in Pryluky, north-central Ukraine, has killed at least three people, local police said. Meanwhile, EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said an attack on a train near the Polish border was an attempt to intimidate Ukraine's allies.
A Danish military helicopter came within “metres” of being struck by flares fired by a Russian warship, Denmark's Defence Minister Jeppe Bruus said on Tuesday. Russia accused Denmark of carrying out “dangerous manoeuvres” near its ship, and said it was investigating the incident.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is outlining the EU's priorities in her annual State of the Union address, covering security, support for Ukraine, trade with China, migration, climate and artificial intelligence.
At least 12 Palestinians, including five children, were killed after a seven-storey apartment building in Gaza collapsed overnight, leaving dozens trapped beneath the rubble.
Türkiye has completed production of its first lunar spacecraft, with the probe now undergoing tests ahead of a planned launch in early 2027.
Kazakhstan and South Korea have agreed to upgrade relations to a comprehensive strategic partnership, as the two countries discuss nearly $19 billion in projects spanning energy, critical minerals and infrastructure.
The opening day of the 24th Arab Media Summit in Dubai highlighted how geopolitical, economic and technological upheaval is reshaping not only the region, but the media industry itself.
Georgia's move to comply with U.S. sanctions on Iranian airlines has sparked a diplomatic exchange with Tehran, as Tbilisi faces growing scrutiny in Washington over its ties with Iran, Russia and China.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment