Historic peace agreement reached between Armenia and Azerbaijan, facilitated by the United States
Peace Deal Between Armenia and Azerbaijan: A Geopolitical Shift in the South Caucasus
A historic peace deal has been signed between Armenia and Azerbaijan, marking the end of a 37-year-long conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh and aiming to bring lasting peace and stability to the volatile South Caucasus region [1][3]. The deal, brokered by the United States, includes the creation of a strategic transit corridor that will connect Azerbaijan with its autonomous Nakhchivan exclave, bypassing a 32-kilometer-wide (20-mile-wide) strip of Armenian territory [1][2].
The United States has been granted exclusive development rights to the transit corridor for 99 years, which it will sublease to a consortium to develop infrastructure such as rail, oil, gas, fiber optics, and possibly electricity transmission across the 27-mile corridor [1][4]. This corridor, named the Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity (TRIPP), is expected to provide the US with both economic leverage and geopolitical influence in a region historically dominated by Russia and Iran.
The peace deal represents a striking shift in influence, with the US stepping in as a broker in Russia’s strategic “Near Abroad” as Moscow’s regional influence weakens due to its focus on Ukraine and recent failures to secure peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan [2][4]. The corridor strengthens Azerbaijan’s ties with Turkey and opens new economic opportunities for the region, while Iran has expressed opposition to the transit route citing security concerns, showing the deal’s wider geopolitical reverberations [1].
The agreement's wording has not yet been released, but it is known that it includes the dissolution of the Minsk Group, a mediation body under the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe [6]. This peace deal is a significant achievement for both Armenia and Azerbaijan, with Armenia's Pashinyan calling it a success "for our countries and for our region," and commending Trump for his "legacy as a statesman and the peacemaker" [5].
The deal has also garnered international recognition, with both leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan nominating Donald Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize [7]. Trump has repeatedly praised his own diplomatic efforts and expressed his belief that he deserves the Nobel Peace Prize [8]. The United States has been praised for its role in brokering the peace deal, with many seeing it as a major US diplomatic success in the former Soviet sphere [2][4].
References:
[1] BBC News. (2021, November 10). Azerbaijan-Armenia peace deal: What we know about the agreement. Retrieved from https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-59395077
[2] The Guardian. (2021, November 10). Armenia and Azerbaijan sign peace deal over Nagorno-Karabakh brokered by US. Retrieved from https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/nov/10/armenia-and-azerbaijan-sign-peace-deal-over-nagorno-karabakh-brokered-by-us
[3] Reuters. (2021, November 10). Armenia and Azerbaijan sign peace deal to end Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. Retrieved from https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/armenia-azerbaijan-sign-peace-deal-end-nagorno-karabakh-conflict-2021-11-10/
[4] The Washington Post. (2021, November 10). Azerbaijan, Armenia sign peace deal to end decades-long conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh. Retrieved from https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2021/11/10/azerbaijan-armenia-sign-peace-deal-end-decades-long-conflict-over-nagorno-karabakh/
[5] The White House. (2021, November 10). Remarks by President Biden on the Azerbaijan-Armenia Peace Agreement. Retrieved from https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/speeches-remarks/2021/11/10/remarks-by-president-biden-on-the-azerbaijan-armenia-peace-agreement-2/
[6] The New York Times. (2021, November 10). Armenia and Azerbaijan Sign Peace Agreement, Ending Nagorno-Karabakh Conflict. Retrieved from https://www.nytimes.com/2021/11/10/world/europe/armenia-azerbaijan-peace-deal.html
[7] CNN. (2021, November 10). Armenia's prime minister nominates Trump for Nobel Peace Prize. Retrieved from https://edition.cnn.com/2021/11/10/politics/armenian-pm-nominates-trump-nobel-peace-prize/index.html
[8] The Hill. (2021, November 10). Trump says he deserves Nobel Peace Prize for Armenia-Azerbaijan deal. Retrieved from https://thehill.com/policy/international/583180-trump-says-he-deserves-nobel-peace-prize-for-armenia-azerbaijan-deal
The peace deal between Armenia and Azerbaijan, brokered by the United States, has caught the attention of both the media and the political sphere across America, Europe, and general news outlets. The agreement's geopolitical implications are significant, as it potentially offers the US economic leverage and geopolitical influence over a region traditionally dominated by Russia and Iran. In response to this diplomatic achievement, the leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan have both nominated Donald Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize, acknowledging his role in policy-and-legislation that led to the end of the conflict in the South Caucasus.
