BAKU, August 4, 2025 — The administration of former U.S. President Donald Trump is reportedly in advanced talks with Azerbaijan about joining the next phase of the Abraham Accords — a U.S.-led initiative to normalize relations between Muslim-majority countries and Israel.
According to Bloomberg and Reuters, Kazakhstan and several Central Asian nations are also being considered as potential signatories. While all of these countries already maintain diplomatic ties with Israel, joining the accords would symbolize a deeper commitment to cooperation in trade and defense.
Among the candidates, Azerbaijan stands out as Washington’s primary focus, the reports say.
The original Abraham Accords, brokered during Trump’s first term, saw Israel normalize ties with the UAE, Bahrain, Morocco, and Sudan. These agreements were driven by shared concerns over Iran and aimed at building robust partnerships in security, commerce, and investment.
Now, observers believe the initiative is evolving into what some are calling “Abraham Accords 2.0” — a broader strategic framework that could reshape the region’s geopolitical landscape.
Expert Perspective: “Azerbaijan is First in Line”
In an interview with Media.Az, Ze’ev Khanin, professor at Israel’s Bar-Ilan University, said this new phase of the accords is markedly different from the original.
“Back in 2020, the focus was on forging formal diplomatic ties between Israel and moderate, pro-American Arab states. Saudi Arabia played an unofficial but pivotal role behind the scenes,” Khanin noted. “Today, the concept is far more ambitious.”
Khanin emphasized that Abraham Accords 2.0 envisions a U.S.-led economic and security alliance involving both Arab and non-Arab Muslim countries, including those that already have diplomatic ties with Israel.
“Azerbaijan is seen as a top candidate,” he said. “Baku and Tel Aviv already enjoy strong cooperation in trade, defense, and diplomacy. Plus, Azerbaijan sits at the crossroads of an emerging ‘Middle Corridor’ — an alternative energy and transport route that bypasses Iran.”
A Strategic Corridor Linking Asia, the Gulf, and Europe
Khanin explained that the new alliance could link Central Asia — a key source of energy resources — with India, Israel, and Gulf Arab states. Azerbaijan would serve as a critical hub connecting this corridor to Europe via Greece and Cyprus.
“Syria may also join this network in the future,” he added.
In this context, Azerbaijan becomes a pivotal node in a regional realignment that could redefine the balance of power in the Greater Middle East.
“The north-south link between Israel and Azerbaijan, coupled with ties between Israel and the Saudi bloc in the south, has the potential to radically reshape the region,” Khanin said. “And the whole framework would unfold under American auspices.”
“If successful, this new phase of the Abraham Accords could be realized within the first half of Trump’s new term — marking the beginning of a truly New Middle East.”
