The US in the South Caucasus: Mapping New Strategic Opportunities 

Hudson Institute’s Center for Peace and Security in the Middle East will host a conference, featuring a keynote address by Senator Steve Daines (R-MT), to examine the implications of the recent Armenia-Azerbaijan peace agreement. The conference will also explore the evolving role of the United States in the South Caucasus and assess how renewed peace efforts and could reshape the Eurasian strategic landscape.

Agenda

9:30 a.m. | Opening Remarks

• Michael Doran, Senior Fellow and Director, Center for Peace and Security in the Middle East, Hudson Institute

9:45 a.m. | Panel 1: Regional Implications of Armenia-Azerbaijan Peace

Panelists will discuss new opportunities for regional cooperation, next steps for energy and transit integration, and the challenges in sustaining peace in a new security architecture.

• Ilan Berman, Senior Vice President, American Foreign Policy Council
• Luke Coffey, Senior Fellow, Hudson Institute
• Michael Doran, Senior Fellow and Director, Center for Peace and Security in the Middle East, Hudson Institute
• Efgan Nifti, Chief Executive Officer, Caspian Policy Center (CPC)

11:00 a.m. | Keynote

•   Senator Steve Daines, United States Senator, Montana

12:00 p.m. | Panel 2: The Future of US-Azerbaijan Relations

Focusing on Washington’s strategic approach to Baku, this discussion will examine the role of US-Azerbaijan relations in advancing security, connectivity, and the broader Middle Corridor initiative.

• Michael Doran, Senior Fellow and Director, Center for Peace and Security in the Middle East, Hudson Institute
• Ambassador Khazar Ibrahim, Ambassador of Azerbaijan to the United States