U.S. signs $9 billion nuclear cooperation package with Armenia, administration says

U.S. officials announced a package described on-air as $9 billion in assistance to Armenia intended to reduce the country's long-standing energy dependence on Russia and enable American firms to export civil nuclear technology and fuel.

The program said Vice President J.D. Vance signed an agreement in Yerevan with Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan covering cooperation in civilian nuclear energy, citing a Bloomberg report. The agreement would allow U.S. firms to compete in any process to replace the country’s current nuclear fuel and participate in planning for potential replacement of Armenia’s sole nuclear power plant.

Why it matters: The existing Armenian nuclear power plant supplies about 40% of the country's electricity and is operated by the Russian state corporation Rosatom; fuel for the plant has also been supplied by Russia. A shift to U.S. technology or suppliers would change long-standing energy and security ties.

Other elements noted on the broadcast: The program said U.S. and Armenian officials are expanding defense cooperation; Armenia recently received a package of U.S. drones worth about $11 million (as reported on-air). The broadcast reported that Armenian representatives met Rosatom in Moscow ahead of the U.S. visit, and Rosatom said it would continue cooperation.

Limitations: The broadcast cited Bloomberg as its source and did not include direct text of any U.S.-Armenia financing agreement on-air. Details such as payment schedules, specific projects covered by the $9 billion figure, and implementation timelines were not specified.

Next steps: The broadcast said U.S. officials planned further travel in the region, including to Baku, where regional defense and energy cooperation with Azerbaijan was expected to be discussed.