Trump hails as a peace mediator for Armenia and Azerbaijan
The sovereignty and territorial integrity of Armenia are to be maintained during the implementation of the TRIPP project, a new trade route that aims to establish economic cooperation between Armenia, Azerbaijan, and the USA, potentially laying the groundwork for a peace treaty.
For decades, Armenia and Azerbaijan, a predominantly Christian and mainly Muslim nation respectively, have been hostile, with Nagorno-Karabakh as the main point of contention. The conflict escalated after the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1993, when Armenia occupied large parts of Azerbaijan to protect its Karabakh compatriots. However, over the years, Azerbaijan under President Ilham Aliyev has been heavily armed and managed to drive out Armenian troops in 2020 and reclaim Nagorno-Karabakh in 2023, resulting in the exodus of almost all its ethnic Armenian population.
The current peace process between Armenia and Azerbaijan is progressing but remains unsettled, with a final peace treaty still needed to solidify the August 8, 2025, White House declaration. The declaration addresses many bilateral issues, including territorial integrity based on the USSR borders, calls for diplomatic normalization, and foresees withdrawal of disputes from international legal bodies. However, unresolved issues include Armenia’s constitutional references to Nagorno-Karabakh and governance of that region, which Azerbaijan insists on being removed.
The Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity (TRIPP) plays a key role in the peace process as a strategically important transit corridor developed between Armenia and Azerbaijan. The project, formally agreed in August 2025 at the White House with US President Donald Trump mediating, provides a 27-mile corridor connecting Azerbaijan to its exclave Nakhchivan through Armenian territory under Armenian law, facilitating transport of rail, oil, gas, fiber optics, and possibly electricity. The United States holds exclusive development rights for 99 years and aims to reduce Iran's, Russia's, and China's influence in the South Caucasus by providing a route linking Turkey and Central Asia that bypasses these powers.
Despite Iran's initial welcoming of the peace deal, it opposes TRIPP citing security concerns and has threatened to block it. Russia views the success of the TRIPP project as a strategic defeat due to potential implications for its influence in the South Caucasus. Concrete negotiations for the TRIPP project are set to begin next week, with the US aiming to ensure trade on the proposed road can be conducted without conflict.
The Minsk Group, formed within the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) for conflict resolution, may be dissolved for negotiations over the conflict. As the peace process advances, it is crucial to address the historical mistrust, border tensions, and regional rivalries involving Iran, Russia, and Turkey to achieve lasting peace.
[1] BBC News. (2023). Nagorno-Karabakh: Azerbaijan retakes key town from Armenia. [online] Available at: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-57453197
[2] The Guardian. (2023). Azerbaijan reclaims Nagorno-Karabakh from Armenia in major escalation. [online] Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/oct/11/azerbaijan-reclaims-nagorno-karabakh-from-armenia-in-major-escalation
[3] The New York Times. (2025). Armenia-Azerbaijan Peace Deal Signed at White House. [online] Available at: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/08/08/world/europe/armenia-azerbaijan-peace-deal.html
The European Union, cognizant of the complexities involved in the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict and the ongoing peace process, is committed to a comprehensive and comprehensive approach to the fight against terrorism, as it may potentially rise from war-and-conflicts, including the regional rivalries involving Iran, Russia, and Turkey. The Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity (TRIPP) project, aimed at establishing economic cooperation, could also be a political tool to maintain the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the involved nations, and thus, becomes a part of the general news landscape.
