US Secretary of State Marco Rubio arrived in Yerevan on Tuesday in a show of support for Armenia's Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and his government, in the run-up to the June elections in the South Caucasus country and amid widespread allegations of Russian interference, as Pashinyan is pushing forward on a western course amid a historic peace agreement with Azerbaijan.
"Your entire team here in Armenia are blazing a trail toward a brighter and more independent future for Armenia," Rubio said.
"We’re very happy to be here to show our support for your courage, your vision, and your dedication. We can’t wait to do more together."
US President Donald Trump's administration has been working on a road-and-rail corridor initiative called the Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity (TRIPP), which would run through Armenia and connect Azerbaijan with its Nakhchivan exclave.
Rubio said he took another step in the TRIPP project with the Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan.
"This agreement marks the biggest step to date on making this historic route a reality, on advancing peace and on increasing prosperity in Armenia and frankly in the region," Rubio said at a signing ceremony at Yerevan airport.
The TRIPP project came to life when Trump oversaw the historic peace agreement signed by Pashinyan and Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev at the White House, ending decades of conflict.
A traditional ally of Russia, Armenia moved under Pashinyan towards a pro-European future, recently hosting the European Political Community summit in Yerevan.
Rubio also signed agreements in Yerevan to renew a broad strategic partnership and to work together on critical minerals, a key priority for Washington as China dominates the resource vital to modern technologies.
"We are laying the groundwork for the sort of economic engagement that allows Armenians to make money and find prosperity and Americans to do the same and to do it together, which is one of the strongest ways to bind nations with one another," Rubio said.
Rubio said that Washington was "always doing it in a way that respects your sovereignty as a nation."
Mirzoyan said he hoped to see the agreements implemented on the ground and called them "truly beneficial for the Republic of Armenia."
Rubio's Tuesday visit further reinforced the US presence in the region, following Vice President JD Vance's visits to both Armenia and Azerbaijan in February.
As the general election looms in Armenia, the Kremlin has repeatedly warned Yerevan of the repercussions of its western path, including imposing a halt to gas deliveries and to key Armenian exports to Russia, both of which are vital to the country's economy.
