Historic Peace Agreement Signed Between Azerbaijan and Armenia at the White House

On Friday evening, a significant milestone was achieved in the complex relationship between Azerbaijan and Armenia when President Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan and Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan of Armenia signed a peace agreement at the White House, witnessed by U.S. President Donald Trump. This agreement marks a pivotal moment in a conflict that has spanned over three decades, igniting two major wars, one in the 1990s and another in 2020, and leading to the mass exodus of over 100,000 ethnic Armenians from Azerbaijan in 2023 following military hostilities in the separatist region of Nagorno-Karabakh. The peace agreement is considered Trump's most considerable accomplishment in his efforts to position himself as an international peacemaker. Through various negotiations, Trump successfully persuaded Pashinyan to accept the establishment of a 40-kilometer corridor within Armenian territory that will connect Azerbaijan to Nakhchivan, an Azerbaijani exclave bordering Armenia, Turkey, and Iran. In return for Armenia's cooperation, Trump assured the country of U.S. oversight in the development of the corridor and military support should Azerbaijan engage in future aggressive actions. Additionally, Trump committed to facilitating bilateral agreements to bolster economic development between the two nations. The corridor will be dubbed the 'Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity' (TRIPP), as announced by U.S. administration officials. This designated route will enable Azerbaijan to connect directly with Turkey, avoiding routes through Iran or Russia, thereby facilitating smoother transit of goods and citizens. Though Azerbaijan will benefit greatly from this new connection, the corridor will remain under Armenian control. The infrastructural development, which is expected to include a railway line, an oil pipeline, a gas pipeline, and a fiber optic communication network, will be managed by a consortium of private companies entrusted by the United States. Azerbaijan is notable for its significant natural gas production, making this corridor a strategically vital undertaking. As of now, the specific details concerning the peace agreement's provisions, especially regarding the ongoing border disputes, have not been disclosed as the official text has yet to be released. U.S. diplomatic engagement between Armenia and Azerbaijan began last March at Trump's behest, reflecting his desire for a prominent role in international conflict resolution. Despite this progress, Trump has yet to yield significant results in resolving larger conflicts such as those in Ukraine and Gaza. Before facilitating this peace agreement, Trump's diplomatic role had primarily included managing less severe disputes, including a ceasefire between Cambodia and Thailand earlier this year, where he threatened to suspend trade negotiations if further clashes occurred. Overall, this latest diplomatic achievement could signal a new chapter in the historically fraught relations between Azerbaijan and Armenia, promising opportunities for reconciliation and economic cooperation in the Southern Caucasus region. Related Sources: • Source 1 • Source 2 • Source 3