Trump brokers peace deal between Armenia, Azerbaijan

• secures US rights to strategic corridor

In a recent notable development, the geopolitics of the South Caucasus, Azerbaijan and Armenia on Friday signed a United States-brokered peace agreement at the White House, ending decades of hostility and opening the door to full diplomatic and economic cooperation.

The deal, hailed by United States President Donald Trump as a “35-year conflict finally resolved,” grants the United States exclusive development rights to a key transit corridor linking energy and trade routes across the region.

The agreement also lifts restrictions on defense cooperation between Washington and Baku, a move likely to unsettle Moscow, which has long regarded the South Caucasus as part of its sphere of influence.

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Flanked by Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan during the signing ceremony, Trump declared the pact a “friendship for the future,” pledging United States support for stability and economic growth in the region.

The peace follows decades of disputes over Nagorno-Karabakh an Azerbaijani region populated mostly by ethnic Armenians that broke away in the late 1980s.

Azerbaijan regained full control in 2023, triggering a mass exodus of ethnic Armenians to Armenia.

Under the terms of the new agreement, both nations will recognize each other’s territorial integrity, open embassies, and foster trade partnerships.

Separate bilateral deals will also expand cooperation in energy, technology including artificial intelligence, and commerce.

Iran has welcomed the peace accord as a “step toward lasting regional stability,” but cautioned against foreign interference near its borders.

Analysts say the deal could help close loopholes in Western sanctions enforcement against Russia while boosting United States’ strategic influence in a region vital for oil and gas transit.

While the accord has drawn praise as a diplomatic breakthrough, experts warn that its success hinges on sustained United States engagement, given the history of failed peace efforts between the two countries.

Already dubbed the “Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity,” the corridor has attracted interest from nine companies, including three United States firms.

Both Aliyev and Pashinyan credited Trump for the breakthrough and announced plans to nominate him for the Nobel Peace Prize.

(Reuters)