Trump declares Armenia and Azerbaijan are committed to ending their conflicts permanently
In a significant development for the South Caucasus region, US President Donald Trump announced a peace deal between Armenia and Azerbaijan in August 2025. The agreement aims to end decades of conflict and pave the way for new economic opportunities, reducing the influence of regional powers like Iran, Russia, and China.
The deal, which was reached at a peace summit in the White House, includes a commitment from both countries to stop all fighting forever, open up commerce, travel, and diplomatic relations, and respect each other's sovereignty and territorial integrity.
A key aspect of the deal is the establishment of a 43-kilometer transit corridor connecting Azerbaijan to its exclave Nakhchivan through Armenian territory. This corridor, named the Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity (TRIPP), will be governed under Armenian law to respect its sovereignty, while facilitating travel and trade between Azerbaijan, Turkey, and Central Asia without passing through Iran or Russia.
Armenia has granted the United States exclusive special development rights over the Zangezur corridor land for 99 years. The US plans to develop this land with infrastructure projects such as rail, oil, gas, fiber optic lines, and possibly electricity transmission. The US would sublease this land to a consortium for these infrastructure projects.
The agreement also signifies the lifting of US restrictions on military cooperation with Azerbaijan, which had been in place since 1992.
Both Armenia and Azerbaijan are expected to sign bilateral economic deals with the United States, potentially marking significant commercial partnerships for both nations. However, there is geopolitical sensitivity regarding the corridor, with Iran expressing security concerns about the Trump Route.
Trump has been praised for his diplomatic efforts to help halt conflicts, notably between Cambodia and Thailand, and arch-foes India and Pakistan. The US President has also expressed his belief that he should win a Nobel Peace Prize for his role in brokering the peace deal between Armenia and Azerbaijan.
The former Soviet republics went to war twice over the disputed Karabakh region, and Azerbaijan recaptured the disputed region from Armenian forces in a 2023 offensive, causing the exodus of more than 100,000 ethnic Armenians. The two nations are due to sign a letter requesting the dissolving of the Minsk Group, a mediation body under the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE).
The peace treaty is a major breakthrough in a region where Russia, the European Union, the United States, and Turkey all jostle for influence. However, it is important to note that the details of the peace deal are not immediately available, and months of efforts have yet to solve the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war and the hunger plaguing Gaza during Israel's offensive, indicating that the peace process between Armenia and Azerbaijan does not necessarily guarantee resolution of all conflicts in the region.
Sources:
- CNN
- The New York Times
- BBC News
- Reuters
- Al Jazeera
- The peace deal between Armenia and Azerbaijan, brokered by President Trump, is set to be officially signed, marking a significant step in the index of war-and-conflicts resolution and policy-and-legislative transformations, particularly in the South Caucasus region.
- The establishment of the Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity (TRIPP) corridor across Armenian territory, as a consequence of the deal, has sparked political debates and general-news discussions, with Iran expressing concerns about security implications.
- With the lifting of US restrictions on military cooperation with Azerbaijan and the potential bilateral economic deals between the US and both nations, the politics of the South Caucasus region is poised for a significant shift, potentially altering the balance of influence among regional powers, such as Iran, Russia, and China.
