JD Vance in Armenia and Azerbaijan | Ep 517, Feb 15, 2026

Episode Summary

JD Vance’s visit to Armenia became a case study in symbolism, protocol, and leverage. Asbed and Hovik unpack what the trip signaled in Yerevan and Baku, from the Tsitsernakaberd controversy and “autocorrect diplomacy,” to the unanswered details behind TRIPP, the nuclear “peaceful cooperation” announcement, and the Firebird AI factory claims. They also weigh what Vance did not address, including the crackdown on the Armenian Church and the practical limits of US defense sales, then compare the Armenia stop to the Azerbaijan stop and the “Strategic Partnership Charter.”