A face-to-face meeting between Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance has begun at the Presidential Palace, after which it will continue in an expanded format.

From the Armenian side, the expanded meeting will include Security Council Secretary Armen Grigoryan, Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan, Deputy Foreign Minister Vahan Kostanyan, Armenia’s Ambassador to the U.S. Narek Mkrtchyan, Chief of Staff of the Prime Minister’s Office Arayik Harutyunyan, Head of the Foreign Relations Department Karen Gasparyan, and the Prime Minister’s Press Secretary Nazeli Baghdasaryan.

From the American side, participants include Chief of Staff to the Vice President Jacob Rizes, Deputy National Security Advisor Andrew Baiker, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment Jacob Helberg, Senior Advisor at the State Department Jonathan Asconas, Special Advisor to the Vice President on European and Russian Affairs Andrew Loomis, Senior Advisor for Peace Missions and Special Envoy Arye Lichtstone, and Chargé d’Affaires, Acting Head of the U.S. Mission in Armenia David Allen.

Earlier, NEWS.am reported that U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance arrived in Armenia on February 9 for an official visit with his wife, Usha Vance. At Zvartnots Airport, they were welcomed by the President of the National Assembly Alen Simonyan, Yerevan Mayor Tigran Avinyan, Deputy Foreign Minister Vahan Kostanyan, and Armenia’s Ambassador to the U.S. Narek Mkrtchyan.

The American delegation also includes Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Economic Affairs Jacob Helberg. After the meeting between the U.S. Vice President and the Armenian Prime Minister, they will make statements to the press.