Friday marked a pivotal moment at the White House as the leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan put pen to paper on a peace agreement, closing a chapter of conflict that has spanned nearly four decades. This handshake, facilitated by President Donald Trump, signals hope for a region long scarred by strife.
According to AP News, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan signed a deal to end hostilities and reopen vital transportation routes. Trump, standing between them, clasped their hands in a gesture of unity as they sealed the accord.
The agreement, brokered by the Trump administration, includes a major transit corridor named the Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity, connecting Azerbaijan to its Nakhchivan exclave through Armenian territory. Trump called the naming “a great honor,” though he insisted he didn’t request it, revealing it was Armenia’s idea, per a senior official.
The roots of this conflict stretch back nearly 40 years, centered on the disputed Karabakh region, internationally known as Nagorno-Karabakh, located within Azerbaijan but historically populated by Armenians. Violent clashes over the territory have claimed tens of thousands of lives, with past international mediation repeatedly failing.
Most recently, Azerbaijan regained full control of Karabakh in 2023, pushing for normalized ties with Armenia while demanding a land bridge to Nakhchivan, a sticking point due to sovereignty concerns. Armenia’s reluctance to cede control and Azerbaijan’s distrust had stalled progress until now.
This deal, however, offers Armenia freer movement without relying on routes through Georgia or Iran, while Azerbaijan gains a direct link to Turkey and Europe, boosting its oil and gas trade. Pashinyan hailed it as “a significant milestone,” though one wonders if the promise of peace can truly erase such deep historical wounds.
Both leaders credited Trump for this breakthrough, with Aliyev declaring, “President Trump in six months did a miracle.” While the praise is effusive, it’s hard to ignore that decisive American engagement, especially as Russia’s regional influence wanes, tipped the scales.
Russia, once the dominant mediator in the South Caucasus, has seen its grip slip since its invasion of Ukraine in 2022, failing to support Armenia during Azerbaijan’s 2023 offensive in Karabakh. This vacuum allowed the U.S. to step in, with senior officials noting the deal marks a geopolitical blow to Moscow.
The Trump administration began serious talks earlier this year, spearheaded by diplomatic envoy Steve Witkoff in Baku, aiming for what an official called a “regional reset.” Separate U.S. agreements with both nations on energy, technology, and economic cooperation further cement this westward pivot.
The Trump Route, set to include rail lines, oil and gas pipelines, and fiber optic connections, is already drawing interest from at least nine developers, with negotiations expected to start next week. Trump himself expressed a desire to visit, saying, “We’re going to have to get over there.”
For Azerbaijan, a key energy producer, this corridor isn’t just symbolic; it’s a strategic gateway to European markets via Turkey. Armenia, long landlocked and constrained, gains breathing room for trade and mobility through this arrangement.
Yet, the naming of the route after Trump raises eyebrows; while he downplayed his role in the choice, it’s a bold stamp on a diplomatic win. One can’t help but question if branding peace with a personal moniker risks overshadowing the delicate balance needed for lasting stability.
Friday’s signing joins a series of U.S.-brokered agreements this year, including peace between Congo and Rwanda, a ceasefire between India and Pakistan, and Trump’s intervention in Cambodia-Thailand clashes by leveraging trade agreements. Still, elusive resolutions in Gaza and Ukraine remind us that not all conflicts bend so easily.
Trump’s unabashed desire for a Nobel Peace Prize is no secret, and both Aliyev and Pashinyan added their voices to those endorsing him for the honor. While his deal-making flair is evident, skeptics might argue that true peace requires more than summits; it demands sustained commitment beyond the photo ops.
Reflecting on the 35-year feud, Trump noted, “Now they’re friends and they’re going to be friends a long time,” expressing confidence in lasting peace. For a region weary of war, this agreement offers a rare glimmer of optimism, though only time will test if friendship can outlast old enmities.
