The U.S. State Department has dismissed Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev’s allegations that the United States is supplying lethal weapons to Armenia, emphasizing that any military assistance to Armenia and Azerbaijan is strictly non-offensive in nature.
Aliyev claimed last week that military transport planes have delivered American weapons to Armenia, suggesting the U.S., alongside France and India, is arming Yerevan.
“We have tracked military transport planes landing at Armenian airports, delivering weapons there,” Aliyev told Russia Today. However, he provided no evidence to substantiate these claims or details about the alleged U.S. military equipment.
In response, a State Department spokesperson clarified the purpose of U.S. security assistance to both Armenia and Azerbaijan.
“U.S. security assistance is focused on strengthening interoperability with U.S. and NATO forces, increasing military professionalization, and securing borders with Iran,” the official said in a statement to Azatutyun.
The spokesperson added, “The United States calibrates all its security assistance to ensure it cannot be used for offensive purposes and does not undermine efforts to negotiate a durable and dignified peace.”
While the U.S. has increased military cooperation with Armenia, including joint training and capacity-building efforts, there has been no indication of arms deliveries to the South Caucasus nation.
Earlier this month, Armenian Defense Minister Suren Papikian met with U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin in Washington to discuss the countries’ “growing strategic partnership.” According to Austin, this partnership includes training programs, military education, and capacity building but no mention of arms transfers.
Aliyev’s accusations come amid heightened tensions and his reiterated conditions for signing a peace deal with Armenia, including a demand to halt Yerevan’s military acquisitions.
Aliyev highlighted Azerbaijan’s projected $5 billion defense and national security budget for 2025, which far exceeds Armenia’s planned $1.7 billion budget. The stark disparity has fueled concerns in Yerevan about potential Azerbaijani military actions.
Armenian officials have warned that Baku may be preparing for another round of aggression following its hosting of the COP29 climate summit in November. Reports of increased coordination between Azerbaijani and Turkish military officials in recent weeks have further heightened these fears, with some observers interpreting this as a prelude to military escalation.
The allegations and geopolitical maneuvers underscore the fragile state of peace negotiations between the two nations and the challenges in achieving lasting stability in the South Caucasus.
