Trump Says ‘Forever Peace’ Between Armenia and Azerbaijan

In a major breakthrough, Armenia and Azerbaijan have agreed to end decades of conflict, signing a peace deal at the White House on August 8, 2025, with U.S. President Donald Trump at the forefront of the negotiations. The agreement, celebrated as a "historic signature" by Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, aims to halt all fighting, restore commerce, travel, and diplomatic relations, and ensure respect for each other's sovereignty and territorial integrity, according to Trump.

The deal, signed by Aliyev and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, comes after years of tension over the Nagorno-Karabakh region, a disputed territory that sparked two wars between the nations. Azerbaijan regained control of Karabakh in a swift 2023 offensive, leading to the displacement of over 100,000 ethnic Armenians. The agreement includes a key transit corridor through Armenia, connecting Azerbaijan to its Nakhchivan exclave, a long-standing demand of Baku. Dubbed the "Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity", the corridor will be developed with U.S. involvement, a move that has drawn mixed reactions.

Iran, despite past concerns about the corridor isolating it from the Caucasus, welcomed the deal on August 9, 2025, but cautioned against foreign intervention near its borders. Turkey, a staunch ally of Azerbaijan, praised the progress toward lasting peace, while UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy and European Union leaders hailed the agreement as a step toward stability in the region.

However, the agreement’s details and enforceability remain unclear, and Azerbaijan’s demand for Armenia to amend its constitution to drop claims on Karabakh has stirred debate, with a planned referendum in Armenia set for 2027.

A White House official, speaking anonymously, emphasized the deal’s benefits for Armenia, describing the U.S. as an “enormous strategic commercial partner.” The official also framed the agreement as a setback for China, Russia, and Iran. While the signing marks a hopeful moment, the road to lasting peace in the South Caucasus remains complex, with the region watching closely to see if this deal can truly end decades of strife.