John E. Herbst, Senior Director of the Atlantic Council's Eurasia Center, praised the growing strategic cooperation between Baku and Washington during the first Azerbaijan–United States Think Tank Forum held in Baku on November 18, Azernews reports.

“This forum will be a beginning, not the end, but a continuation. Very few people understand the interests of the United States in the South Caucasus,” Herbst said, stressing that the new platform sets the stage for more structured dialogue.

He underlined that the event would help expand bilateral engagement:“We will closely cooperate with Azerbaijan and Central Asian countries in various ways so that such forums will continue to be held in the future.”

Commenting on high-level political dialogue, Herbst noted that the results of the meetings between President Ilham Aliyev and US President Donald Trump were“highly successful both for Azerbaijan and for the neighbouring states of the region.”

He added that“a turning point in US-Azerbaijan relations was the important document signed by President Ilham Aliyev, President Donald Trump, and Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan,” saying it created“a significant foundation for the signing of a peace agreement between Armenia and Azerbaijan.”

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