U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio stopped in Armenia on May 26 (on his way back from an official visit to India) to meet with Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan to sign the “Charter on Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between the Republic of Armenia and the United States.”Rubio’s visit — the first by a U.S. Secretary of State since 2014 — came on the heels of the February visit by Vice President JD Vance that included meetings with Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, President Vahagn Khachaturyan, and other top officials. Vance signed a civil nuclear energy cooperation agreement and announced a $11 million purchase by Armenia of U.S.-made V-BAT surveillance drones.The Charter reaffirms the two nations’ commitment to shared democratic values and mutual respect for sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity; advancing political and religious liberty, economic freedom, the rule of law, and unalienable rights; and supporting innovation, technological advancement, and energy security.

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Rubio emphasized that the agreement marks “the biggest step taken to date toward making this historic route a reality, advancing peace, and increasing prosperity in Armenia and throughout the region.” Mirzoyan added, “We have elevated our strategic partnership to a new level by renaming it a comprehensive strategic partnership.”