Armenia and Azerbaijan are expected to sign a peace agreement at the White House on Friday, aiming to end nearly four decades of conflict, US President Donald Trump announced.
According to Trump, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev will also sign separate agreements with the US to promote economic partnerships and unlock the full potential of the South Caucasus region.
“This peace deal is something many leaders failed to achieve. But now, thanks to TRUMP, it’s happening,” Donald Trump wrote on Truth Social.
Three US officials, according to The Associated Press, revealed that the deal includes a breakthrough transit corridor linking Azerbaijan to its Nakhchivan region through Armenian territory. The corridor, which will be called the Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity, is expected to host rail lines, oil and gas pipelines, and fiber optic cables. The construction will be funded by private companies, not the US government.
This development follows decades of violence over the Nagorno-Karabakh region. Fighting began in 1988, leading to a full-scale war after the USSR collapsed in 1991. A 1994 ceasefire left Armenian forces in control, but Azerbaijan reclaimed large parts of the region in a 2020 offensive. In 2023, Azerbaijan took full control of Karabakh, prompting over 100,000 Armenians to flee.
The new peace deal is also expected to reopen borders between Armenia and Turkey after nearly 40 years, boosting Armenia’s access to international trade routes and investments. Prime Minister Pashinyan sees this as a chance to stabilise the country and connect it with Europe and Asia.
