With U.S. mediation, Azerbaijan and Armenia sign peace deal ‘to stop all fighting forever’

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan signed a peace declaration at the White House on Friday, with President Donald Trump facilitating the announcement. The leaders committed to cease hostilities permanently and restore trade, travel, and diplomatic relations while respecting each other’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.

The breakthrough comes after decades of conflict between the neighboring nations, primarily over the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region, which has been a source of tension since the Soviet Union’s collapse. The 2020 war between Azerbaijan and Armenia over the breakaway region left thousands dead and displaced tens of thousands. The region sits at a strategic crossroads between Europe, Asia, and the Middle East, making stability crucial for energy transport routes and regional security.

Trump announced that the United States would sign bilateral agreements with both countries to expand cooperation in energy, trade, and technology, while also lifting restrictions on defense cooperation with Azerbaijan. “Armenia and Azerbaijan are committing to stop all fighting forever,” Trump declared. 

The peace deal includes exclusive U.S. development rights to a strategic transit corridor through the South Caucasus, specifically designed to connect mainland Azerbaijan with its Nakhchivan region, which is separated by a 20-mile (32-kilometer) stretch of Armenian territory. The corridor will be named the Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity, or TRIPP. “It’s a great honor for me,” the U.S. president said on Friday. “I didn’t ask for this.”