Rising Tensions Between Russia and Azerbaijan Improve Relations Between Baku and Washington

The rising tensions between Russia and Azerbaijan have significantly improved the relations between Baku and Washington. This was stated by John E. Herbst, the director of the Eurasian division of the Atlantic Council, during the first Azerbaijan-U.S. analytical centers conference.

Herbst pointed out the incidents such as the shooting down of a plane belonging to AZAL and the subsequent denial of this fact, as well as the negative sentiments towards Azerbaijani businessmen in Russia, among other factors.

According to Herbst, Trump's administration encourages the U.S. to pay greater attention to the South Caucasus, where the relations between Azerbaijan, Armenia, and Turkey hold considerable importance. He noted that the Turkish president is not an easy partner; however, U.S. and Turkish interests align in the Middle East and South Caucasus.