🇺🇸🤝🇦🇲🇦🇿 U.S. President Donald J. Trump hosted Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev at the White House for the signing of a landmark peace agreement that seeks to end more than 35 years of bitter conflict between the two South Caucasus nations. The decades-long dispute, marked by multiple wars and the displacement of tens of thousands, has been a persistent flashpoint in regional stability.
Trump, speaking alongside both leaders, called the summit “a big beautiful honor” and emphasized that previous diplomatic efforts by other administrations and international mediators had failed. “For over 35 years they fought — and now they’re friends,” he said, framing the deal as part of a broader U.S. effort to resolve long-standing global disputes, referencing recent American-brokered peace initiatives in South Asia and Africa.
The accord includes a commitment to resolve all disputes diplomatically, expand economic ties, and open long-closed transport and trade routes. A centerpiece of the agreement is the creation of the “Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity” — a section of the Zangezur Corridor that runs through Armenian territory. This route will be operated by an American company for 99 years, providing unimpeded connectivity between Azerbaijan and Armenia, and serving as a symbolic and practical link between the two peoples.
In addition to the peace agreement, Trump announced new bilateral deals with both countries to deepen cooperation in energy, trade, and advanced technology — including artificial intelligence — as well as lifting restrictions on U.S. defense collaboration with Azerbaijan. These measures aim to reinforce economic stability and security while integrating the region into broader international markets.
However, the accord has not been without controversy. The Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA), the leading Armenian-American advocacy group, sharply criticized the agreement, labeling it a “total surrender” that undermines Armenia’s sovereignty and fails to deliver justice for the estimated 150,000 Armenians displaced from Nagorno-Karabakh. Despite this pushback, both leaders expressed optimism, with Aliyev praising Trump’s ability to secure a resolution where decades of talks had failed. “Today, we are writing a great new history,” Aliyev declared.
The deal represents a rare diplomatic breakthrough in a region where mutual mistrust has run deep for generations. Whether the peace holds will depend on sustained political will, robust international guarantees, and the successful implementation of its ambitious provisions.
