Tucker Carlson, journalist and blogger, recently took on an unexpected role—not as an interviewer but as the interviewee, speaking with journalist Matt Taibbi. Among other revelations, he claimed that during the previous U.S. administration, it was not the elected President Joe Biden who was effectively in charge, but rather the now-former Secretary of State Antony Blinken. Carlson described Blinken as both “evil and stupid.”
It’s easy to dismiss this as just another claim from Carlson. However, rumors that Blinken, rather than Biden, was running the U.S. had already circulated during the controversial April 5, 2024, meeting between Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, and Secretary Blinken.
This raises questions about how such a “regent” status aligns with American democratic norms—unlike Biden, Blinken was never elected. The U.S. candidate nomination system itself, to put it delicately, allows significant room for internal party bureaucracy. But that’s for Americans to figure out. For an Azerbaijani audience, a more pressing issue is that it appears Blinken, not Biden, was the main driver of policies that earned the previous administration the reputation of being the most pro-Armenian in recent years.
Armenia likely appreciated this support. The deployment of Armenian sappers as part of Russia’s military mission in Syria did not trigger the expected backlash from Washington. Joint exercises were conducted with Armenia, financial aid was provided, and USAID Executive Director Samantha Power made frequent visits to Yerevan. The infamous April 5, 2024, meeting, where the U.S. and EU discussed aid to Armenia, is still fresh in the region’s memory. Neither Washington nor Brussels ever officially admitted that military cooperation was on the table, let alone explained why they openly backed Yerevan before a peace treaty between Azerbaijan and Armenia was signed.
Now, however, the situation has changed. Donald Trump is dismantling Biden’s legacy without hesitation. The biggest blow for Yerevan is that foreign aid programs have already been suspended for 90 days. While there has been no official announcement about a shift in Washington’s Armenia policy—since it is not a top priority for the U.S.—it’s clear that Yerevan has been left in limbo. The once-steady flow of foreign aid is rapidly drying up, if not disappearing entirely.
Armenia might still hope for support from the European Union. However, the political landscape in Brussels has also shifted, with Yerevan losing a key ally in Josep Borrell. His successor, Kaja Kallas, is set to visit the region soon, and it remains to be seen what new realities this visit will reveal. Furthermore, Brussels is highly attuned to U.S. political trends and generally prefers to align with them—especially now that Trump, not Biden, is in power. Trump, after all, is known for exerting pressure and making others bend to his will.
At the same time, Yerevan’s relations with its traditional allies—Moscow and Tehran—are deteriorating rapidly, as both are displeased with Armenia’s overtures toward the U.S. and EU. While neither Russia nor Iran is likely to jeopardize their long-standing ties with Armenia entirely, they may well unite against Pashinyan, who has been disrupting their plans.
In theory, Armenia could rely on support from France. However, there’s a major problem: Macron’s France is not a strong enough player on the international stage to be a reliable ally.
Firstly, France’s unprecedented tilt toward Armenia is tied to Macron, whose domestic political standing is crumbling.
Secondly, and more importantly, France continues to lose influence globally, including in its former colonies.
Thirdly, Paris is struggling to counter Azerbaijan’s growing influence even within French overseas territories. Despite making strong statements, France has been unable to take meaningful action.
So, does Armenia genuinely believe that France will come to its rescue? Given the logistical challenges, lack of direct access to the sea, and lingering uncertainty over whether Armenia is truly ready to sever ties with Moscow and Tehran, this seems doubtful. Judging by events, Armenia’s troubles did not end with its defeat in Karabakh—they are only just beginning.
Nurani
Translated from minval.az
