Crossing Strategic Passage and Suspension of Conflict: Agreements Reached by Armenia and Azerbaijan at the White House
In a historic moment, a trilateral agreement was signed at the White House in August 2025, marking a significant step towards peace between Azerbaijan and Armenia. The agreement, brokered by President Donald Trump, includes Ilham Aliyev, President of Azerbaijan, and Nikol Pashinyan, Prime Minister of Armenia.
The agreement, which includes a seven-point joint pledge and a 17-point draft peace deal, aims to end decades of conflict. Key provisions involve normalising relations, transport, and development rights, particularly the creation of the Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity (TRIPP), a strategically important transit corridor.
The TRIPP corridor connects Azerbaijan to its Nakhchivan exclave through Armenian territory, enabling direct transit of people and goods between Turkey and Azerbaijan, bypassing Iran and Russia. The United States has been granted exclusive development rights in the corridor for 99 years, signifying a significant geopolitical shift by reducing the influence of Iran, Russia, and China in the South Caucasus.
The agreement also includes provisions for disarmament of separatist forces and their reintegration into Azerbaijan, addressing a core security issue in the conflict. This move was swiftly enacted on the ground following the deal's signing.
However, the deal has generated regional concern, particularly from Iran, which has threatened to block the TRIPP corridor citing security reasons, indicating potential challenges in the agreement's implementation.
The trilateral agreement was signed in the presence of a press conference with Trump, Aliyev, and Pashinyan. Trump announced that the US will lift restrictions on its military cooperation with Azerbaijan. American companies have expressed interest in joining the development of the infrastructure for the "Zangezur Corridor".
Armenia and Azerbaijan have agreed to permanently cease all military actions and open up trade. They have also agreed to restore diplomatic relations and permanently cease military hostilities.
Ilham Aliyev is celebrating a victory due to the trilateral agreement, while Nikol Pashinyan does not seem to have any moral issues about this process. Pashinyan has even expressed his support for Donald Trump receiving the Nobel Peace Prize.
Interestingly, Trump agreed to have the "Zangezur Corridor" road connecting Azerbaijan and the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic named "TRIIP" ("Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity").
Russia and the US are keeping the main result of their talks secret, and they will announce it at the meeting between Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump. Meanwhile, concerns persist about the future of Armenia, with Pashinyan continuing the process of "dismembering" Armenia.
This trilateral agreement represents a major step towards ending hostilities, normalising interstate relations, and shifting the geopolitical dynamics in the South Caucasus, with the U.S. playing a significant broker role. The path to full peace and implementation will take time, requiring constitutional changes in Armenia and sustained political will from both sides.
[1] White House Press Release, August 2025. [2] BBC News, August 2025. [3] Reuters, August 2025.
The trilateral agreement, resulting from President Trump's mediation, marks a turning point in the policy-and-legislation landscape of war-and-conflicts, as it aims to resolve decades-long discord between Azerbaijan and Armenia. The agreement, which includes the creation of the Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity (TRIPP), a strategically important transit corridor that requires significant geopolitical changes, has generated regional news, with some nations expressing concerns.
