U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio warned of a “real risk” of an Azerbaijani invasion of Armenia, emphasizing that the United States is working to broker a peace deal between the two countries to prevent such an escalation.
Testifying before the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Rubio said the Biden administration is focused on securing a treaty that averts conflict. “We want to prevent a war,” he told lawmakers, noting that Washington is urging both sides—particularly Baku—to recognize the benefits of peace.
Democratic Representative Jim Costa called for a permanent halt to U.S. military aid to Azerbaijan, but Rubio said no decision has been made, as peace efforts remain the current priority.
Rubio praised recent progress in Armenian-Azerbaijani negotiations, while acknowledging that Baku has imposed conditions—including constitutional changes in Armenia and a land corridor to Nakhichevan. President Ilham Aliyev has threatened to seize the corridor by force if necessary.
Rubio also spoke with Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan in March, with both agreeing that any escalation in the region is unacceptable.
