President Donald Trump brokered a historic peace agreement Friday, between Armenia and Azerbaijan, ending decades of conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh. The deal, signed at the White House, commits both nations to lasting peace, the reopening of borders, and the development of a new transit corridor through Armenia, named the "Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity" (TRIPP), which will link Azerbaijan to its Nakhchivan exclave.
Trump described the moment as ending "35 years of death and hatred" and starting an era of "love and respect." Both Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev praised the agreement and expressed their intention to nominate Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize.
At the signing ceremony, Trump declared the end of a 35-year conflict, stating, "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." He emphasized the deal's significance, calling it a "landmark achievement for international diplomacy" and a "historic peace summit." He highlighted the US's exclusive development rights to the TRIPP corridor and the lifting of restrictions on military cooperation with Azerbaijan. Trump also noted the agreement's potential to reshape regional politics and boost prosperity
President Aliyev said the agreement would allow the nations to "turn the page of standoff, confrontation, and bloodshed and provide a bright and safe future for our children," and praised Trump for achieving a "miracle" in six months. Prime Minister Pashinyan called the event a "significant milestone" and affirmed that the peace process was only possible due to Trump's "personal engagement and his resolute commitment to peace." Both leaders expressed their support for nominating Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize.
The conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan has roots in the late 1980s over the Nagorno-Karabakh region, leading to two major wars after the collapse of the Soviet Union. A 2020 ceasefire brokered by Russia introduced peacekeepers but failed to resolve the core dispute. In 2023, Azerbaijan intensified control, leading to the surrender of Armenian forces in Nagorno-Karabakh and the exodus of nearly all ethnic Armenians to Armenia.
This event heightened calls for a formal peace treaty. The new agreement includes a commitment to stop fighting, resume full diplomatic relations, and respect each other's sovereignty and territorial integrity. A key component is the disbanding of the OSCE Minsk Group, which had been tasked with mediating the conflict.
The TRIPP corridor, which will operate under Armenian legal jurisdiction, is expected to include rail, oil and gas lines, and fiber optics, facilitating trade and energy exports. While the agreement is seen as a major diplomatic breakthrough, experts note significant questions remain about the corridor's implementation, border demarcation, and potential constitutional changes in Armenia, which could pose future obstacles.
Meanwhile Trump has announced a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin on August 15, in Alaska to discuss peace efforts for the war in Ukraine. This summit, the first between the two leaders since 2019 and the first U.S.-Russia presidential meeting since the start of the war in 2022, comes on the day of Trump's deadline for Russia to agree to a Ukraine ceasefire.
Trump said he is optimistic about reaching a peace deal and hinted at a potential "swapping" of territories as part of a resolution.
Putin presented a proposal to U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff during a meeting in Moscow on Wednesday, offering a full ceasefire in exchange for Ukraine ceding control of its eastern regions.
Under the proposal, Ukraine would withdraw its forces from Donetsk and Luhansk Oblasts, granting Russia full control of these territories, along with Crimea.
This comes amid a broader diplomatic effort where the U.S. is reportedly considering a proposal that would involve a ceasefire, with de facto recognition of Russian-occupied territories postponed for 49 or 99 years.
The U.S. proposal would involve the lifting of most sanctions on Russia, with long-term energy cooperation. This U.S. proposal reportedly does not include guarantees against NATO expansion, a key Russian demand.
The proposal would require Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy to order a withdrawal of troops from parts of the Luhansk and Donetsk regions still held by Kyiv, handing Russia a victory that its army couldn’t achieve militarily since the start of the full-scale invasion in February 2022.
Under the terms of the deal, Russia would halt its offensive in the Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions of Ukraine along the current battlelines.
Putin on Friday held phone calls with Chinese President Xi Jinping and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi as well as with the leaders of South Africa, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, and Belarus to share details of his Aug. 6 meeting with Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff in Moscow, according to the Kremlin.
The U.S. is working to get buy-in from Ukraine and its European allies on the deal.
"The highly anticipated meeting between myself, as President of the United States of America, and President Vladimir Putin, of Russia, will take place next Friday, August 15, 2025, in the Great State of Alaska. Further details to follow," Trump wrote on Truth Social late Friday.
The announcement followed Trump's earlier statement that he would meet "very shortly" with Putin to discuss ending the war. Trump indicated he is willing to meet with Putin without Zelensky being present.
Trump has expressed increasing frustration with Putin’s refusal to agree to a ceasefire. The two leaders held six phone calls since February and Witkoff met with Putin five times in Russia to try to broker an agreement.
Ukraine is seeking security guarantees to ensure any truce holds and is urging allies to keep Russia’s economy under pressure through sanctions.
The Alaska meeting will mark the first visit to Alaska by a Russian head of state since Alaska was sold by the Russians to America for $7.2 million in 1867.
