U.S. vice president and Azerbaijan president sign strategic partnership charter

President Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan and U.S. Vice President JD Vance signed a charter on strategic partnership during a public ceremony that the Azerbaijani president described as the result of six months of work and prior meetings in Washington.

The charter, Aliyev said, will expand cooperation on security and anti‑terror operations and on energy security; he noted Azerbaijan supplies natural gas to 16 countries, 11 of them NATO members. Aliyev also said restrictions on cargo transit to Armenia were lifted and that Azerbaijan had begun supplying oil products to Armenia, an action he framed as the start of renewed trade and cooperation.

"Today's ceremony of signing of, charter on strategic partnership is a reflection of the very hard work which our teams conducted for 6 months," President Ilham Aliyev said. He described a planned transportation corridor he referred to as the "Trump route for international peace and prosperity," saying it will connect separate parts of Azerbaijan and strengthen regional ties.

Vice President JD Vance, speaking after the signing, conveyed greetings from the U.S. president and framed the agreement as opening "the next chapter" in U.S.–Azerbaijan relations. Vance praised Azerbaijan's role in Afghanistan, saying Azerbaijani forces "fought alongside United States Marines," and announced that the United States will ship new boats to help Azerbaijan protect its territorial waters.

"We signed a strategic partnership with it, which I think will formalize that partnership and make it very clear that the United States–Azerbaijan relationship is one that will stick," Vance said, adding that the partnership should promote peace and economic cooperation in the region.

Both leaders highlighted economic and technological cooperation. Aliyev mentioned preliminary interaction with leading American companies on AI data centers; Vance referenced the infrastructure initiative and defense assistance as steps to solidify ties.

The ceremony closed with brief thanks from both leaders. There was no formal vote or legislative action recorded at the event; the signing itself was presented as an executive-level bilateral agreement and public announcement of the new charter.