Armenia, Azerbaijan reach peace agreement; U.S. gains access to strategic transit corridor
Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a U.S.-brokered peace agreement on Friday during a meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump that would boost bilateral economic ties after decades of conflict and move them toward a full normalization of relations.
The deal between the South Caucasus rivals – assuming it holds – would be a significant accomplishment for the Trump administration.
“It’s a long time – 35 years – they fought and now they’re friends, and they’re going to be friends for a long time,” Trump said at a signing ceremony at the White House, where he was flanked by Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan.
Trump said the two countries had committed to stop fighting, open up diplomatic relations and respect each other’s territorial integrity.
The agreement includes exclusive U.S. development rights to a strategic transit corridor through the South Caucasus, which will be named the Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity, and known by the acronym TRIPP. The White House said it would facilitate greater exports of energy and other resources.
Trump said the United States signed separate deals with each country to expand cooperation on energy, trade and technology, including artificial intelligence. Moreover, restrictions had also been lifted on defense cooperation between Azerbaijan and the United States.
