BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 15. After yet another collapse of its ambitions, the leadership of ANCA, the largest Armenian lobbying group in the United States, has effectively acknowledged another defeat for Armenia by Azerbaijan. This time, ANCA has resorted to blaming the outgoing U.S. administration, accusing it of dashing their unrealistic hopes.
It didn’t take long for ANCA to realize that the so-called “strategic agreement” signed between the Biden administration and Armenia just days before the White House transition was nothing more than an empty, symbolic gesture.
ANCA Executive Director Aram Hamparian described the agreement as a “farewell gift” from the Biden administration to Armenia, calling it a weak and futile attempt to appease the Armenian diaspora in the U.S.
Instead of addressing its own failures, ANCA has shifted its frustration toward the U.S. administration, accusing it of prioritizing mutually beneficial partnerships with Azerbaijan. Just one day after Armenians celebrated the signing of the “strategic agreement” with Washington, it was revealed that the U.S. approved a $100 million loan for Azerbaijan’s Silk Way Airlines. The airline plans to use the funds to purchase Boeing cargo planes.
In response, ANCA accused the airline of “transporting weapons” and labeled the U.S. administration’s actions as “betrayal.” It’s clear that when real, mutually advantageous deals are made with Azerbaijan, the Armenian side struggles to come to terms with reality.
As for the so-called “strategic agreement” between Washington and Yerevan, it’s now obvious that it holds no real significance. Even Armenians have admitted it’s a hastily drafted, non-binding document—a last-minute gesture from the Biden administration to appease the Armenian diaspora.
ANCA’s hysterical accusations against the outgoing U.S. administration only highlight the complete failure of the Armenian lobby. Meanwhile, substantial financial agreements between the U.S. and Azerbaijan send a clear message: Washington’s strategic interests lie with Baku. Once again, Armenia has shown its inability to secure tangible victories, suffering another diplomatic setback against Azerbaijan on the global stage.