US Vice President J.D. Vance on February 10 wrapped up a two-day trip to Armenia, the first-ever visit to the country by a US official of this rank.
In talks with Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, the two sides locked in agreements on deliveries of US defense technologies, the rollout of large-scale energy projects and the launch of a new economic initiative, the Trump Road to International Peace and Prosperity (TRIPP).
With a follow-on trip to Azerbaijan, the visit signals an intensification of Washington’s mediation push to stabilize the South Caucasus, analysts say.
Official Yerevan and the White House delegation all but framed the visit as the start of a new chapter in bilateral ties. The top agenda item: implementing TRIPP to build cross-border economic links and unlock transport routes across the region, particularly between Armenia and Azerbaijan.
The TRIPP project is viewed as a key instrument to stabilize the South Caucasus after more than 30 years of conflict between Azerbaijan and Armenia over Nagorno-Karabakh. The “Declaration of Peace” signed in Washington in August 2025 laid the groundwork for this major infrastructure effort.
Plans call for rail lines, pipelines, power transmission and fiber-optic cables to run through Armenia’s southern regions. The infrastructure is designed to ensure unhindered connectivity between mainland Azerbaijan and its exclave, Nakhchivan.
Yerevan and Washington have already agreed on the technical and legal parameters for managing the future corridors. Under the deal, a dedicated project company will operate the transport logistics - specifically, the railway. Ownership would be split with 74% controlled by the US side and 24% by Armenia. The concession term is 49 years, which both sides say guarantees long-term US capital and technology engagement.
After talks with Pashinyan, Vance said the TRIPP fund is ready to invest private capital in regional infrastructure, including railways and pipelines. “This will open an entirely new world of trade, transit and energy flows in this region and create unprecedented linkages between Armenia and its neighbors,” Vance said.
Russia also remains interested in the project’s logistics component; it currently operates Armenia’s railway under a concession. While Yerevan had not sharply objected in the past, Armenia’s leadership has taken a harder line. National Assembly Speaker Alen Simonyan recently ruled out Russia’s involvement, arguing the project could not function effectively otherwise.
One of the visit’s most consequential outcomes was the first major defense-technology deal: Washington confirmed the sale of V-BAT reconnaissance drones to Armenia, totaling $11 million. Vance said the delivery is part of a deterrence concept, stressing that access to modern defensive technologies underpins sustainable peace in the region. Pashinyan expressed hope the sale—executed through the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program—will lay the groundwork for deeper defense cooperation.
Vance’s statements drew wide reaction among Armenian experts and the public. Many see the drone transfer not as a one-off but as the beginning of a systematic, long-term defense partnership with Washington. Supporters argue the visit could set a precedent that allows Armenia to diversify its arms purchases with modern US systems. “This is a significant step forward in developing defense cooperation and a valuable asset from Shield AI. There are many avenues ahead to explore and advance,” said Leonid Nersisyan, a military expert at APRI Armenia.
On energy, the talks concluded negotiations on a “123 Agreement” for peaceful nuclear cooperation. Once formalities are finalized, the agreement would open a legal path for exporting US civilian nuclear technologies to Armenia, including small modular reactors. “This means initial exports from the US of up to $5 billion, plus an additional $4 billion in long-term support in the form of fuel and maintenance contracts,” Vance said.
Framing the nuclear prospects, the vice president called the pending deal a classic example of cooperation that strengthens energy security for both countries while creating new US high-tech jobs. “This means American technologies—small modular reactors—will come into the country. Armenia is one of the few countries we trust enough to invest at this scale and to transfer technologies of this kind,” he said.
For Armenia-the only country in the South Caucasus with nuclear power and aiming to replace its nuclear plant by 2036-opting for US reactors would significantly diversify a sector long dominated by Russian technology.
Moscow’s response came almost immediately. Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Galuzin told Izvestia that Russia is ready “to launch the new NPP project as soon as possible,” insisting there are no real alternatives to what he called Russia’s proven technologies and financing, including workforce training.
Armenia’s government has already decided it needs a new modular nuclear plant with a capacity of 400–500 MW. Until recently, Yerevan stressed it was reviewing proposals and consulting with key market players—Russia, the US, China, France and South Korea.
Still, Vance’s comments about potential US nuclear exports to Armenia prompted many to ask whether Yerevan has already chosen its main technology partner. Whether that’s the case remains unclear. Official Yerevan has yet to offer further clarification.
In high tech, the sides finalized agreements to build an artificial intelligence plant and a large data center in Armenia with US company Firebird. The project will rely on high-performance NVIDIA graphics processors; export clearance has already been obtained. Vance said the cooperation underscores a high level of trust in Armenia as a reliable innovation partner.
Following Vance’s visit, Firebird announced phase two of the “AI megaproject in Armenia,” expanding its scope eightfold—from an initial $500 million to $4 billion. Boosting capacity to 50,000 NVIDIA GPUs by 2026 would turn the country into one of the “five largest global supercomputing hubs.”
The regional agenda also included steps to normalize relations between Armenia and Turkey, including reopening the Gyumri–Kars railway, Pashinyan said after talks with the US side.
The visit’s political context was underscored by Vance’s direct endorsement of Pashinyan ahead of elections set for June. “I know elections are approaching—we discussed that. If my support carries any weight, he certainly has it, because he (Nikol Pashinyan) is exactly the person who can build a long-term partnership to successfully implement projects like this,” Vance said when asked about progress on the “Trump Route” project.
That stance from Washington broadly aligns with sentiment in Armenian society toward the US. According to the latest International Republican Institute (IRI) poll in June 2025, 69% of respondents rate current relations with the United States as good.
As officials discussed economic prospects, activists and opposition figures staged a protest outside the Armenian president’s residence, where talks with the US delegation were underway. Demonstrators urged the vice president to use his upcoming trip to Baku to push for the release of Armenian detainees held in Azerbaijan. According to official figures, there are 19. Protesters stressed that humanitarian issues must remain a priority alongside economic and energy deals.
