Vance Confirms Armenian POW Issue Will Be Raised in Baku

U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance said the issue of Armenian prisoners held in Azerbaijan will be raised during his meetings in Baku, as he continued a high-profile diplomatic trip in the South Caucasus that included stops in Armenia and Azerbaijan.

Speaking to journalists before leaving Armenia, Vance was asked whether he planned to discuss the fate of Armenians imprisoned in Azerbaijan. He confirmed that the topic would be part of his talks and described Washington’s efforts to keep working with both sides in the region.

“Look, we have very good relations both with the prime minister here and with Aliyev and Azerbaijan. You know, I heard the prime minister say yesterday that he is optimistic about the possibility of a peace agreement, considering where we are now compared to the situation a few months ago. So we will certainly address a number of topics, but I think we will continue to work very effectively with both the Azerbaijanis and the Armenians,” the U.S. vice president said.

The Armenian prisoners in Baku have been sentenced to long prison terms, in some cases to life imprisonment. Armenian officials and human rights advocates say these cases remain one of the most sensitive humanitarian issues following the occupation Nagorno-Karabakh.

Vance arrived in Yerevan the day before his comments and held meetings with Armenia’s prime minister and president. After the talks, the sides issued a joint statement, signaling continued cooperation between Washington and Yerevan. At a joint press conference with Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, Vance announced that the United States would sell intelligence and drone technologies to Armenia in a deal worth $11 million. The U.S. vice president also spoke about Armenia’s political future ahead of parliamentary elections, saying, “Prime Minister Pashinyan has my support.”

The visit is a historic moment in U.S.–Armenia relations. It is the highest-level visit to Armenia by a member of the current U.S. administration and comes as Washington seeks to play a larger diplomatic role in the region. Vance’s upcoming stop in Azerbaijan is also notable, as it is the first visit there by a U.S. vice president since Dick Cheney traveled to Baku in 2008.

Before boarding his flight at Zvartnots Airport, Vance again addressed Armenian reporters and repeated that the prisoners issue would be raised directly with Azerbaijani leaders.

“That will certainly be discussed. We have very good relations both here with the prime minister and with Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev. In fact, I heard the prime minister speak yesterday — he is optimistic about a peace agreement, considering where we are now compared to just a few months ago. For that reason, we will certainly raise a number of issues, but I believe we will continue effective and successful cooperation with both Azerbaijanis and Armenians.”

Azerbaijan continues to hold 19 Armenian prisoners in what is described as illegal detention. Among them are former members of the military and political leadership of Nagorno-Karabakh. Aside from former Artsakh state minister Ruben Vardanyan, Baku courts have issued what are described as fabricated verdicts against the detainees.

Vance’s comments come at a time when Armenia and Azerbaijan have been discussing the possibility of a broader peace agreement after years of conflict. U.S. officials have repeatedly said they want to support stability in the South Caucasus and reduce the risk of renewed fighting. By raising the prisoners issue in Baku, Washington appears to be signaling that humanitarian concerns will remain a central part of its diplomacy in the region.

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