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Since Armenia’s independence, the United Stated has provided more than $2 billion in assistance to Armenia, Nora Hovsepian, Chairperson of the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) Western Region, told a news conference in Yerevan on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, she said, the U.S. government has provided $45 million in aid to Artsakh in the same period.

“Artsakh is the only unrecognized republic that receives direct assistance from the U.S.,” Hovsepian stressed.

She expressed hope that the U.S. assistance to Artsakh will total to $5 million in 2020. Meantime, according to her, ANCA is working toward the adoption of the amendment on the allocation of additional $40 million in democracy aid to Armenia.

She said the bill authored by Congresswoman Jackie Speier has already been supported by both Democrats and Republicans. “There is already a decision on $45 million in assistance to Armenia. If the U.S. president approves Speier’s offer, another $40 million will be added to it,” she said.

At the same time the ANCA Western Region chief informed that the Trump administration seeks to cut assistance to all countries, including to those states that have always received large sums.

Hovsepian also dismissed some reports alleging the U.S. is allocating $100mn to Azerbaijan for the strengthening of its border with Iran.

She recalled that Section 907 of the United States Freedom Support Act bans any kind of direct U.S. aid to Azerbaijan due to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

“Of course, the Azerbaijani government will receive financial assistance from the United States, but for other purposes,” she said.