Azernews.Az

Akbar Novruz

Read more

US Vice President J.D. Vance has departed for Italy to attend the opening of the 2026 Winter Olympics and is expected to visit Armenia and Azerbaijan later as part of a broader diplomatic tour, Azernews reports via The Associated Press.

According to the agency, the visit will be one of Vance’s few international trips this year, as US President Donald Trump and senior administration officials are prioritizing domestic issues and internal travel ahead of the congressional midterm elections scheduled for November.

Vance is expected to use his visits to Baku and Yerevan to express Washington’s support for the peace agreement between Azerbaijan and Armenia that was reached at the White House last year. AP notes that President Trump has personally tasked the vice president with reinforcing the agreement aimed at ending the more than three-decade-long conflict between the two countries.

The opening ceremony of the Winter Olympics in Italy will also be attended by Vance’s wife, Usha Vance, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and US Ambassador to Italy Tilman Fertitta.

The report highlights that the peace agreement has strengthened Washington’s position in the South Caucasus at a time when Russia’s influence in the region is seen as declining. Azerbaijan and Armenia initialed the agreement in Washington, committing to the opening of key transport routes and expanded cooperation with the United States in areas such as energy, technology, and the economy.

As part of the Trump administration’s Roadmap for International Peace and Prosperity (TRIPP), the agreement provides for the creation of new connectivity linking Azerbaijan with its Nakhchivan exclave through Armenian territory, a move Washington views as central to regional stability and economic integration.