Recently, the Armenian government announced plans to surrender territory in Tavush, sparking protests and demonstrations against the decision, which many fear will threaten Armenia’s security and embolden Azerbaijan. These protests, led by Archbishop Bagrat Galstanyan, have highlighted the frustration with the government’s handling of Azerbaijan’s assault on Nagorno-Karabakh in 2020 and the subsequent ethnic cleansing of the region. The peace process has forced Armenia to make significant concessions without providing guarantees for its security against Azerbaijan’s cross-border attacks and occupation of Armenian territory.
The growing discontent in Armenia over the peace talks has put the U.S. and European Union in a difficult position. Armenia, traditionally reliant on Russia for security, has been looking for new allies after Russia failed to meet its obligations during Azerbaijan’s aggression. The West, on the other hand, sees an opportunity to reduce Russia’s influence in the region, contain Iran, and secure the flow of oil and gas from Azerbaijan to Europe by brokering a peace deal between Armenia and Azerbaijan. Despite Azerbaijan’s reluctance to engage in peace talks, the U.S. continues to support Azerbaijan, providing military assistance and defense contracts, and refraining from imposing sanctions for war crimes committed during the ethnic cleansing.
The West’s policy of appeasement towards Azerbaijan has not only failed to hold the country accountable for its actions but has also rewarded it with economic investments, military partnerships, and international privileges. Azerbaijan’s hosting of COP29, after coercing Armenia to drop its veto, has raised concerns about greenwashing and the authoritarian regime’s role in the energy sector. A recent diplomatic blunder by the U.S. Ambassador to Azerbaijan, Mark Libby, who visited the ethnically cleansed town of Shushi, further underscored Washington’s failure to address Azerbaijan’s destructive actions and its inability to uphold human rights and democracy in the region.
As protests against territorial concessions in Armenia intensify, the U.S. must acknowledge the need for accountability in achieving a just and lasting peace. By enabling Azerbaijan’s authoritarian expansionism and refusing to hold it accountable for war crimes, the U.S. risks legitimizing authoritarianism and undermining its support for democracy and human rights. A just and durable peace in the region can only be achieved through accountability and a consistent foreign policy that supports Armenia’s sovereignty and engagement with the West. It is crucial for the U.S. to address the inherent contradictions in its approach to the South Caucasus region to avoid squandering an opportunity to diversify partnerships and promote stability in the region.
