Trump Announces ‘Historic’ Peace Deal Between Armenia and Azerbaijan
The disputed Nagorno-Karabakh area, which Azerbaijan ultimately seized in 2023, was the subject of two wars between the two sworn foes.
In an effort to put an end to decades of animosity between the two former Soviet republics, US President Donald Trump said he will welcome the presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan on Friday for what he called a “Historic Peace Summit.”
Trump said on his Truth Social platform on Thursday that Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan “will join me at the White House for an official Peace Signing Ceremony.”
The two, who had been sworn foes for decades, fought twice over the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh area, which Azerbaijan retook from Armenian forces in a fierce offensive in 2023, leading to the migration of over 100,000 ethnic Armenians.
A peaceful resolution has been the subject of discussions between the two nations, including one that took place in the United Arab Emirates last month, but a breakthrough has proven elusive.
Trump stated, “Thousands of people have died as a result of these two nations’ long-running war.” “Thanks to ‘TRUMP,’ numerous leaders have attempted to terminate the war without success up to this point.
He went on to say, “My Administration has been engaged with both sides for quite some time,” and expressed his pride in these brave leaders for acting morally.
Washington will sign bilateral agreements “with both Countries to pursue Economic opportunities together,” the US leader, who has stated his belief that his mediation efforts in numerous international conflicts deserve the Nobel Peace Prize, added.
These agreements could unlock potential in the South Caucasus region. The potential deal might end decades of fighting and pave the way for the reopening of important South Caucasus transport routes that have been closed since the early 1990s.
The deal would grant the United States the ability to lease the corridor and rename it the Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity, officials told the Associated Press.
It would connect Azerbaijan with its geographically isolated Nakhchivan province.separated from the rest of Armenia by a 32-kilometer (20-mile) area.
In order to facilitate the movement of commodities and eventually people, the transit corridor is anticipated to eventually contain fibre optic links, oil and gas lines, and a train line.
The arrangement does not call for the US to pay for the construction of the transit route, but instead for private firms to develop it.
The agreement was struck following ongoing negotiations between the parties and a visit to Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan, earlier this year by Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff.
For almost 40 years, Armenia and Azerbaijan fought each other for control of the Nagorno-Karabakh territory.
The primarily Armenian area was granted autonomy inside Azerbaijan during the Soviet era. Long-simmering tensions between Christian Armenians and largely Muslim Azerbaijanis spilt out when the Soviet Union frayed.
Source: The Guardian
