Relationship dossier
Azerbaijan
United States
Relationship assessment
Energy and security cooperation coexist with recurring disputes over Armenia, U.S. assistance restrictions, and governance.
Azerbaijan toward United States
+25Azerbaijan supported U.S.-led operations in Afghanistan, including by contributing to the international effort there. It has also cooperated with the United States on regional energy and security issues.
United States toward Azerbaijan
+15The United States supported the Baku–Tbilisi–Ceyhan pipeline and engaged Azerbaijan on energy and regional security. U.S. policy has also included restrictions on assistance under Section 907 and criticism related to human rights and governance.
Overall relationship
+15The relationship has a durable basis in energy and security cooperation, but it is not a close partnership: U.S. assistance restrictions and disputes connected to Armenia and governance have repeatedly complicated ties.
How to read these scores
Scores are rough judgments, not objective measurements or current verification. Directional scores describe government policy and conduct, not public opinion. The overall score is an independent estimate, never an average.
- −100
- Extreme sustained hostility
- −50
- Substantially adversarial
- 0
- Mixed or neutral, supported by knowledge
- +50
- Substantially cooperative
- +100
- Exceptionally close sustained partnership
“Not assessed” means there is no recorded score. Pair existence makes no claim about diplomatic recognition or established relations.
Relationship context
Overview
Azerbaijan and the United States have cooperated on energy security and regional security, including U.S. support for the Baku–Tbilisi–Ceyhan pipeline and Azerbaijani support for U.S.-led operations in Afghanistan. Their relationship has also faced recurring friction over Azerbaijan’s conflict with Armenia, U.S. restrictions on assistance under Section 907, and U.S. concerns about human rights and governance.
Areas of tension
- U.S. restrictions on assistance to Azerbaijan under Section 907 of the Freedom Support Act
- U.S. concerns about human rights and governance in Azerbaijan
- Disagreements related to Azerbaijan’s conflict with Armenia and U.S. engagement in the region
Key developments
The United States enacted Section 907, restricting certain forms of assistance to Azerbaijan.
The Baku–Tbilisi–Ceyhan pipeline began operating, with U.S. support for the project.
Azerbaijan supported U.S.-led operations in Afghanistan.
Major uncertainties
- The extent and current scope of Azerbaijani security cooperation with the United States are unclear.
- The implementation and future scope of U.S. assistance restrictions and waivers are uncertain.