Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan has confirmed that Armenia and the United States are working towards a formal agreement to establish a “strategic partnership,” signaling closer ties between the two nations.
“We have a strategic dialogue which we agreed to upgrade to strategic partnership,” Mirzoyan stated during a press conference on Wednesday. “A document or documents regarding this are certainly under discussion.” He added that further negotiations will take place soon but declined to specify an exact timeline, urging journalists to “wait for a few days.”
Reports surfaced earlier this week from Arman Babajanyan, leader of a pro-Western political party, who claimed that the agreement will be signed in Washington next week. According to Babajanyan, the partnership will encompass key areas, including defense and security.
The groundwork for this agreement was laid in June when Mirzoyan and U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Europe and Eurasia James O’Brien announced plans to elevate their bilateral dialogue to a Strategic Partnership Commission during a meeting in Yerevan.
This move has drawn criticism from Armenia’s traditional ally, Russia, which expressed concern over Armenia’s growing alignment with the West. Moscow’s Foreign Ministry warned that pursuing a strategic partnership with Washington could heighten Armenia’s security vulnerabilities and economic challenges, further straining the already fragile relationship between Yerevan and Moscow.
Despite these warnings, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s administration has continued to steer Armenia towards closer ties with Western nations. Armenian Defense Minister Suren Papikyan’s recent meeting with U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin in Washington underscored this shift. Austin highlighted their discussions on “growing strategic partnership through training and exercises, military education, and capacity-building.”
The anticipated agreement is set to be signed just days before U.S. President Joe Biden leaves office, raising questions about its durability under the incoming administration. Mirzoyan, however, dismissed concerns about a potential policy shift under President-elect Donald Trump, emphasizing the institutional nature of U.S.-Armenian relations.
“We are developing our relations with the United States, not with its incumbent or outgoing administration,” Mirzoyan stated. “We already have contacts with the incoming administration, the president-elect, and his team.”
This potential strategic partnership marks a significant milestone in Armenia’s foreign policy, reflecting its efforts to diversify alliances amid shifting regional and global dynamics.
