Pashinyan declares peace between Armenia, Azerbaijan following White House summit

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has formally declared the establishment of peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan, describing the recent trilateral summit at the White House as a pivotal turning point in the South Caucasus region.

In an address to the nation, Pashinyan stated that the geopolitical landscape of the region had fundamentally shifted since August 8, ushering in a new era for both Armenia and its neighbors, Caliber.Az reports, citing Armenian media.

"A rapprochement has been established between Armenia and Azerbaijan, peace has been established between Armenia and Azerbaijan. After August 8, we live in a completely different South Caucasus, in a new Republic of Armenia. Peace is an unfamiliar reality and an alien life for us; let's not underestimate this reality. We must learn from scratch what it means to live in peace, what peace is like," Pashinyan said.

Pashinyan described the recent Washington Agreements as a transformative opportunity for Armenia, marking an end to over three decades of regional isolation and paving the way for normalized relations with Azerbaijan.

“Following the Washington Agreements, the Republic of Armenia, after more than 30 years of isolation, has been given an opportunity that until recently seemed unimaginable,” the Prime Minister said.

He emphasized that the process of opening transport and communication links between Armenia and Azerbaijan is being approached within a clearly defined framework based on “territorial integrity, sovereignty, jurisdiction, and the inviolability of borders.”

“This means that before opening transport routes, the state border must be clarified, delineated, and demarcated. And a border has essential attributes — border and customs control,” Pashinyan stated.

He reaffirmed Armenia’s readiness to explore the simplification of border crossings, while underlining that these developments should not be seen as threatening. “Yes, we have previously declared our readiness to simplify border crossings, and this will be the subject of detailed upcoming discussions. But this poses no new threats. Because the principle of reciprocity is enshrined in the Washington Declaration. And that is a guarantee that balanced and mutually acceptable solutions will be found with Azerbaijan.”

Describing the agreements as “globally significant,” Pashinyan concluded by noting that the next step is to translate the diplomatic breakthrough into sustainable peace and progress.

“These agreements are of global significance. And our task is to turn them into a solid foundation for a new, peaceful future for the Republic of Armenia,” he said.

The prime minister’s remarks come in the wake of high-level negotiations hosted in Washington, which included US President Donald Trump and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev.

On August 8, US President Donald Trump hosted Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan at the White House for a historic trilateral summit, marking the first such meeting between the leaders of Armenia, Azerbaijan, and the US since the Soviet Union’s collapse. The summit resulted in the signing of a joint declaration and the initialing of a draft peace agreement titled “Agreement on Establishment of Peace and Inter-State Relations between the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Republic of Armenia” by the foreign ministers of both countries, witnessed by Trump, Aliyev, and Pashinyan.

A major component was the agreement to establish a transit route, dubbed the “Trump Route,” through Armenia’s Syunik province, connecting mainland Azerbaijan to Nakhchivan. This route, often referred to as the Zangezur Corridor, will facilitate intra-state and international transportation while respecting the sovereignty of both nations.

By Vafa Guliyeva