Washington and Ankara share similar interests in the Middle East and South Caucasus, expert says

Tensions between Russia and Azerbaijan have contributed to the strengthening of Azerbaijani-American relations, John E. Herbst, Director of the Eurasia Center at the Atlantic Council, said at the first Azerbaijan-U.S. think tank forum.

“Factors such as the AZAL plane crash and its subsequent denial, negative treatment of Azerbaijani businessmen in Russia, and several other similar developments have laid the groundwork for closer ties between Azerbaijan and the United States,” Herbst noted.

He added that the Trump route is prompting the U.S. to pay greater attention to the South Caucasus, where relations among Azerbaijan, Armenia, and Turkey carry significant weight.

Speaking about U.S.-Turkey cooperation, the expert acknowledged that the Turkish president is a challenging partner. Nevertheless, Washington and Ankara share similar interests in both the Middle East and the South Caucasus.