Energy
Vance Signs Nuclear Energy Agreement in Yerevan in Historic US Vice-Presidential Visit
March 9, 2026
4
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US Vice President JD Vance traveled to Yerevan in February 2026 for talks with Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, becoming the first sitting US vice president or president ever to visit Armenia. The visit underscored Washington's deepening commitment to the South Caucasus following the landmark Armenia-Azerbaijan peace agreement brokered by President Trump in August 2025.
The centrepiece of the visit was the signing of a civil nuclear energy cooperation agreement, which Pashinyan described as opening "a new chapter in the deepening energy partnership between Armenia and the United States." The agreement signals US interest in supporting Armenia's energy independence and reducing the country's longstanding dependence on Russian energy supplies, which include the aging Metsamor nuclear power plant that US officials have previously offered to help replace with small modular reactors.
"We are not just making peace for Armenia. We are also creating real prosperity for Armenia and the United States together," Vance said at a joint news conference with Pashinyan. The vice president then continued to Baku for talks with Azerbaijani officials, reinforcing Washington's balanced engagement with both countries as it seeks to cement the peace framework and advance TRIPP corridor planning.
The visit reflects the significant reorientation of Armenia's strategic partnerships since 2023. Pashinyan has publicly backed the peace process as a prerequisite for Armenia's economic reorientation toward Western markets, away from its historically Russia-dependent posture. For investors, the nuclear cooperation agreement opens a potential multi-billion dollar infrastructure opportunity as Armenia modernizes its energy sector with US technical and financial backing, according to Armenpress.
Pashinyan called the visit "truly historic" and expressed hope that Trump would receive the Nobel Peace Prize for his mediation role. Washington's engagement signals a long-term commitment, as Eurasianet notes in its analysis of US strategic interests across the South Caucasus.
