Pashinyan declares Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict chapter closed

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said the chapter of conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan has been closed and that peace has been established, marking what he described as a historic shift in relations between the two countries.

Speaking on August 8, Pashinyan warned, however, that while achieving peace had been difficult, it could be easily undone.

“Establishing any peace is not easy, establishing our peace was also not easy. But destroying and nullifying any peace is extremely easy, and it can be done very quickly, and the question is whether in that case it will be possible to restore peace in 35 years,” he said, according to Armenian media, cited by Caliber.Az.

“Today many, some intentionally, some unintentionally, act according to the logic of destroying peace, and this activity is sometimes masked under a harmonious or ‘patriotic’ smokescreen. (...)”

Pashinyan credited former U.S. President Donald Trump for his role in facilitating the peace process and marked the date as symbolic for both nations.

“I thank President Trump for his undeniable contribution to this peace process. I congratulate the people of Armenia on August 8. I congratulate the people of Azerbaijan on August 8. Finally, we have a day that calms us rather than inflames passions. And may all victims of the conflict rest in peace. Never again. Long live peace,” he said.

The Armenian leader described the August 8, 2025 trilateral meeting in Washington — attended by the leaders of the United States, Azerbaijan and Armenia — as a turning point in bilateral relations.

“Now we call the meeting of August 8 the Peace Summit, and the joint declaration adopted there by the President of Azerbaijan and me, which was also signed by the President of the United States as a witness, the Peace Declaration,” he said.

Pashinyan added that while peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan is already “tangible,” a final agreement on peace and interstate relations still awaits signing and ratification, and the delimitation of the border remains incomplete.

He also highlighted the “Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity” (TRIPP) initiative as one of the summit’s key outcomes, saying it would help end Armenia’s blockade in the near future, serve as a backbone for the economies of Armenia and the wider region, and encourage both countries to view each other not as obstacles but as partners and neighbours.

“The helm of our history is once again in our hands,” Pashinyan said.

By Tamilla Hasanova