U.S. Vice President James Vance’s visit to Armenia and Azerbaijan on February 9–10 was widely discussed on REAL TV’s Xəbər Axşamı program. The guests of the program were political commentator Anar Aliyev and human rights defender Ahmad Shahidov. The discussion focused on Vance’s meetings with Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan in Yerevan and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev in Baku, as well as the growing diplomatic engagement of the United States in the region.
Political commentator Anar Aliyev mainly addressed U.S.–Azerbaijan relations in his remarks. He noted that Vance’s visit to Baku and the signing of strategic cooperation documents between the two countries demonstrate Washington’s intention to elevate relations with Azerbaijan to a new level, particularly in the context of energy security and regional stability.
Human rights defender Ahmad Shahidov commented on the broader U.S. policy toward the South Caucasus. According to him, Washington is seeking to play a more active role in the region, and this engagement goes beyond bilateral relations, directly influencing the peace process between Azerbaijan and Armenia. Shahidov emphasized that the United States has a strategic interest in ensuring lasting stability in the region.
Ahmad Shahidov also underlined that achieving peace in the South Caucasus is primarily in the direct interest of the regional states, while the role of external actors should be limited to facilitating this process. In his view, the new regional realities shaped by Azerbaijan are now recognized at the international level, and the recent U.S. visit reflects acknowledgment of these realities.
