US and Armenia agree on strategic partnership ahead of upcoming elections

Armenia’s Prime Minister Faces Election Challenge Amid Strengthened Ties with US

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan of Armenia has signed a strategic partnership agreement with the United States, bolstering ties between the two countries. The agreement was announced on Tuesday, along with a framework on critical minerals and cooperation on a transit corridor in Yerevan.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan signed the agreements at a ceremony at the Yerevan airport. The 43-kilometer corridor, known as the Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity, would traverse southern Armenia and provide Azerbaijan with a direct route to Nakhchivan and Turkiye.

The agreement marks a significant development in Armenia’s relations with the US and Europe. Pashinyan has sought closer ties with the US and Europe, drawing criticism from Russia, which has historically been Armenia’s closest ally. Moscow has warned that it could raise the price of gas Armenia receives from Russia if it continues to pursue greater integration with Western countries.

The US administration has cast its relationship with Yerevan in economic terms, seeking concessions on critical minerals. A US State Department framework for the transportation corridor grants the US a 74 percent share in the TRIPP Development Company, with an explicit pledge to benefit US companies.

Armenia’s upcoming parliamentary election is expected to be closely watched, as pro-Russia parties face off against Pashinyan and his allies. The election is scheduled to take place in June.

Source: Al Jazeera