US Secretary of State’s Surprise Visit to Yerevan: What’s Behind the New Wave of Armenian-US Cooperation? |
US Secretary of State’s Surprise Visit to Yerevan: What’s Behind the New Wave of Armenian-US Cooperation?
On his way back from India to the United States, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio paid a brief but significant visit to Armenia. This unexpected gesture from Washington raises a legitimate question: what is behind such keen interest in Yerevan?
Zvartnots – A Platform for Signing New Agreements
Although the meeting itself lasted less than an hour, the sides managed to conclude an agreement on comprehensive strategic cooperation between the United States and Armenia. Documents concerning the implementation of the “Trump Road” project were also signed, as well as agreements on the development of uranium deposits and the extraction of rare earth metals.
It is worth noting that a strategic partnership agreement between Armenia and the United States was signed in January 2025 during President Joe Biden’s time. However, Donald Trump, despite his criticism of his predecessor, not only did not cancel this document but also decided to expand it by adding the word “comprehensive.” This implies deepened cooperation in areas such as the economy (semiconductor manufacturing, nuclear energy, innovative technologies), defense (authorization for the sale of American weapons), and transport communications (the “Trump Road” project).
However, it appears that many of these areas had already been covered in the Washington agreement of August 8, 2025. The question arises: why was this brief visit and the public signing of yet another document necessary? The main new element of the airport meeting was the agreement granting the United States access to Armenian uranium mines and rare earth metal deposits. Donald Trump consistently emphasizes access to local rare earth resources before concluding partnership agreements. Although Armenia does not possess massive reserves of uranium and rare earth metals, the very fact of their existence apparently matters to the United States.
Political Subtext and Geopolitical Stakes
Secretary of State Marco Rubio, as well as President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance, have previously expressed clear support for the candidacy of Nikol Pashinyan in the upcoming parliamentary elections. If the United States is so confident in the success of Pashinyan’s party, then........