Trump Uses Nvidia Chip Exports to Broker Armenia-Azerbaijan Peace

The San Francisco-based startup Firebird began operations of a massive AI data center in Hrazdan, Armenia, in August 2026. The facility is projected to reach 300 megawatts and house over 70,000 Nvidia Corporation Blackwell and Vera Rubin GPUs by the end of 2027, positioning it as one of the largest computing clusters in Europe. The project is supported by infrastructure from Dell Technologies and direct investment from Nvidia Corporation.

The development served as a tool for geopolitical diplomacy. The administration of President Donald Trump used the granting of advanced chip export licenses as leverage to secure a preliminary peace treaty between Armenia and Azerbaijan. This accord includes the creation of the Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity, a U.S.-managed transport corridor. This approach shifted from the Joe Biden administration's previous restrictions on AI chip exports to Armenia, which were based on concerns over Russian influence.

One-fifth of the data center's power is allocated to domestic Armenian research and government use through a $25-million government program. The remaining capacity serves foreign firms, including Perplexity AI. Following the launch in Armenia, Firebird is expanding its network into Kazakhstan, where it targets two gigawatts of capacity by 2028.