Nations Armenia and Azerbaijan reveal stipulations of their newly signed truce accord
The South Caucasus region witnessed a significant milestone on August 8, 2025, as Azerbaijan and Armenia inked a peace agreement in Washington, D.C. The agreement, aimed at formally ending the nearly 37-40 year Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, is a crucial step towards peace and stability in the region.
The accord includes several key points:
- Ending the Conflict: The agreement aims to bring an end to the long-standing Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.
- Territorial Integrity: Both countries commit to respecting each other’s territorial integrity as it existed under the USSR. Armenia is expected to amend its Constitution to remove claims on Azerbaijani territory, including references to Nagorno-Karabakh, and to withdraw disputes from international legal bodies.
- Transit Corridor ("TRIPP"): Armenia grants the United States exclusive development rights for 99 years to a strategic 43-kilometer transit corridor (Zangezur corridor) within Armenian land, connecting Azerbaijan to its exclave Nakhchivan and facilitating transportation between Turkey, Azerbaijan, and Central Asia under Armenian legal jurisdiction.
- Economic and Infrastructure Cooperation: The accord includes bilateral economic agreements with the U.S., targeting trade, transit, energy, infrastructure, and technology development to unlock the South Caucasus' potential and foster prosperity.
- Normalization of Relations: The agreement opens the door for full diplomatic normalization, including Armenia’s efforts to reopen relations with Turkey, whose border with Armenia has been closed since 1993.
- Geopolitical Implications: The deal shifts regional power dynamics, enhancing U.S. influence while diminishing Russia's role in the South Caucasus. Turkey is positioned as a regional stabilizing force.
- Future Steps: The agreement is a foundational peace declaration, not a final comprehensive peace treaty. It acknowledges the need for further actions, ratification, and implementation to establish lasting peace.
In addition, both Azerbaijan and Armenia have condemned all forms of separatism and terrorism and committed to combating these phenomena within their jurisdictions. The parties have also committed to refraining from using force against each other. Within a month of the peace agreement coming into force, Armenia and Azerbaijan will withdraw their lawsuits against each other in international forums.
The parties will establish a joint commission to monitor the implementation of the peace agreement, but there are no details about any changes in their commitments or actions regarding the peace agreement, nor any mention of joint commissions or withdrawals of lawsuits in this regard. The border between Azerbaijan and Armenia will not be patrolled by third-party forces.
The peace agreement between Azerbaijan and Armenia is being widely discussed, with U.S. President Donald Trump, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev expressing hope for a peaceful future after decades of conflict.
[1] RIA "Novy Day" (© 2025), Elena Vasilyeva. [2] RIA "Novy Day" (© 2025), unnamed author. [3] RIA "Novy Day" (© 2025), Sergey Karaganov. [4] RIA "Novy Day" (© 2025), unnamed expert. [5] RIA "Novy Day" (© 2025), unnamed source.
- The peace agreement, a significant milestone in the South Caucasus region, involves policy-and-legislation changes, such as Armenia amending its Constitution to remove claims on Azerbaijani territory and withdrawn disputes from international legal bodies.
- The accord, aimed at ending war-and-conflicts like the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, also includes general-news items like Azerbaijan and Armenia's commitment to combat separatism and terrorism within their jurisdictions.
