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White House Press Pool Reports @WHPressPool - VP Travel Report #3 - Azerbaijan - Wheels down
The Vice President arrived at the presidential palace at 5:47pm local and was greeted by the President of Azerbaijan. They shook hands and then looked on as a military band played the national anthem for both countries. Inside of the palace, the two leaders posed for photos in an ornate room with more than two dozen chandeliers.
Vance and Aliyev spoke briefly to cameras at an expanded bilateral meeting. The President of Azerbaijan said it was a big honor to host Vance in Azerbaijan. He said he’s had two meetings with Trump in the last six months and said they had mutual interests. Vance said President Trump sends his very best and is grateful for their partnership. He said the two countries would sign a strategic partnership agreement.
The Vice President did not respond to a shouted question about whether he would raise the dozens of activists and journalists who have been imprisoned in Azerbaijan in their meeting. He and the President of Azerbaijan both laughed as press was escorted out of the room.
The Vice President’s office passed along a list of officials in the expanded bilateral meeting:
United States
JD Vance, Vice President of the United States
Jacob Reses, Chief of Staff to the Vice President
Dr. Andrew Baker, Deputy National Security Advisor
Jacob Helberg, Under Secretary of State for Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment
Jonathan Askonas, Senior Advisor, Department of State
Andrew Loomis, Special Advisor to the Vice President for European and Russian Affairs
Aryeh Lightstone, Senior Advisor, Special Envoy for Peace Missions
Amy Carlon, Chargé d’Affaires of the U.S. Embassy in the Republic of Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan
Ilham Aliyev, President of Azerbaijan