Statement.

Statement on the Visit of U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance to Armenia

The National-Democratic Alliance (NDA) warmly welcomes the visit of United States Vice President J.D. Vance to the Republic of Armenia. We express our hope that this visit will open a new chapter in the centuries-old friendship between the Armenian and American peoples, as well as further strengthen the more than a hundred-year-old diplomatic and political relations between our two nations.

For years, the NDA has pursued consistent efforts to deepen ties between Armenia and the United States, both domestically and in the USA. In particular, we are actively developing working relations with the Office of the U.S. Vice President.

The expansion and deepening of Armenia-U.S. relations has always been, and remains, a core political priority for the NDA.

The National-Democratic Alliance is the first—and remains the only—political force in Armenia whose programmatic principles explicitly call for a strategic alliance with the United States, including the objective of obtaining Major Non-NATO Ally (MNNA) status for Armenia.

On Peace

While we appreciate the United States’ efforts to advance peace in our region, the NDA maintains that genuine, lasting peace must rest on justice and good neighborliness. In this context, we assert that:

• All Armenian prisoners of war must be immediately released from detention in Baku.
• The right of the people of Artsakh to return to their ancestral homes and settlements must be respected and implemented under international supervision and guarantees.
• The Armenian Christian heritage must be preserved in Artsakh and throughout the region.
• Azerbaijan’s ongoing rhetoric of hatred against Armenians must be recognized as unacceptable.

TRIPP Project and the “TRUMP ROUTE’’

One of the principal topics to be discussed during this visit is the “Trump’s Route for International Peace and Prosperity” (TRIPP) project, which envisions granting the United States exclusive rights for 99 years to develop a transport and energy corridor through Syunik.

The NDA views this proposal as a potential pretense for Russo-Turkish aggression against Armenia’s sovereignty. Consequently, recognizing the vital military, political and economic importance of this route, NDA accordingly advocates for its management to be elevated to a joint Armenian-American intergovernmental body, rather than being entrusted to any private company, regardless of its efficiency or capacity.

At the same time, from the standpoint of regional stability, the NDA supports the opening of regional communication routes through Nakhichevan, in the spirit of mutual proportionality.

Armenia’s Historical Role in Regional Peace

The NDA underscores the potential role of the Armenian people in supporting the current U.S. administration’s efforts to advance peace in the Greater Middle East. As the only Christian nation in the region with a pan-Christian mission, Armenia—through the Armenian Apostolic Holy Church—serves as one of the three Christian custodians of Christ’s holy places in Jerusalem, representing a community of nearly one hundred million Eastern Christians in the Holy City.

Mediator of Civilizations: Throughout history, the Armenian people have acted as mediators between Western and Eastern civilizations and religions, as evidenced by their centuries-old tradition of disseminating cultural achievements and innovations that continues today.

The Fourth Industrial Revolution Arena

In our era, Armenian-American cooperation is exemplified by the development of a unique regional infrastructure for Artificial Intelligence—the AI Factory—demonstrating Armenia’s innovative potential. This foundation should be transformed into a joint Armenian-American effort to create a regional AI ecosystem, where technological advancement is harmonized with Christian values.

The Necessity of Establishing Democracy in Armenia

The NDA firmly believes that the sustainable development of Armenian-American relations is possible only if a stable democracy is established in Armenia.

Accordingly, the NDA:

• Demands the release of all political prisoners in Armenia, including political and spiritual leaders, as well as the Sasna Tsrer, who took a stand against tyranny. This is a necessary condition for ensuring a stable democracy, which in turn underpins the sustainable development of Armenian-American relations.
• Strongly condemns the reckless, crude actions of the Armenian authorities against the Armenian Apostolic Holy Church, which strike at the spiritual foundations of Armenian society and undermine the symbol of our millennial history. Such attacks are unacceptable and violate the norms and principles of the rule of law.

Council of National-Democratic Alliance

February 9, 2026   Yerevan