President Donald Trump facilitated a peace deal between Armenia and Azerbaijan on Friday, countries that have been entangled in a conflict for almost four decades.
During the trilateral White House ceremony, Trump optimistically remarked, ‘I believe they’re going to establish a great relationship, I’m certain of it. And if you don’t, give me a call and I’ll sort it out.’
Efforts to resolve the ongoing conflict commenced in February when Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, visited Baku, Azerbaijan, and engaged with the leadership, particularly President Ilham Aliyev.
Trump’s campaign pledges to resolve conflicts in Gaza and Ukraine within 24 hours of assuming office have not yet been realized, as both conflicts persist without any significant progress.
Still, Trump took an opportunity for a victory lap.
Referring to his predecessor, Trump commented, ‘Sleepy Joe Biden attempted, but you know the outcome, perhaps he tried for around 12 minutes, but it wasn’t successful.’
Both leaders thanked Trump for his role in the peace talks and said they would recommend him for the Nobel Peace Prize.
‘I believe President Trump deserves the Nobel Peace Prize, and we will advocate for that, that’s evident,’ Pashinyan stated, expressing hope for an invitation to the ceremony.
US President Donald Trump participates in a trilateral signing with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev (L) and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan (R) in the State Dining Room
President Donald Trump greeted both Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan
‘Maybe we agree with Prime Minister Pashinyan to send a joint appeal to the Nobel committee to award President Trump with the Nobel Peace Prize,’ Aliyev said, prompting applause in the room. ‘Who if not President trump deserves the Nobel Peace prize?’
Despite the overtures, Trump said he still expected to be snubbed.
‘A lot of people say, no matter what I did, because I’m of a certain persuasion, no matter what I do they won’t give it [to me.] I’m not politicking for it,’ he said.
Aliyev alluded to previous winners of the peace prize who ‘didn’t deserve it at all,’ perhaps referring to former President Barack Obama who was controversially awarded the prize in 2009.
‘As it is said in the Holy Bible, blessed are the peacemakers for they will be called children of God,’ Pashinyan said.
Conflict in the region escalated after Azerbaijan took back control over Nagorno-Karabakh in 2023, a region of mostly ethnic Armenians that broke away from Azerbaijan in the 1980s. A hundred thousand Armenians fled from the region to Armenia in response to the invasion.
Both countries continue disputing control of the Zangezur Corridor, but Armenia has agreed to award the U.S. exclusive development rights on the land for 99 years as part of the peace deal.
The peace agreement will grant the United States development rights on the corridor, allowing the development of infrastructure such as rail, oil, gas, and even fiber optic lines and electricity transmission lines.
The new transit corridor will be named the Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity (TRIPP) as the United States will be in charge of leasing it to companies for development.
Special Presidential Envoy Steve Witkoff, left, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio arrive before a trilateral signing ceremony with Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev and Armenia’s Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan
U.S. President Donald Trump (C) arrives at a signing ceremony with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev (2nd L) and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan (R)
The president has worked to solve several prominent conflicts around the globe including negotiating a peace deal with Cambodia and Thailand, Rwanda and the Congo, and Pakistan and India.
Trump also ended the war between Israel and Iran after his missile strikes on the Iranian nuclear facilities.
The president also claimed in June he was able to stop a war between Kosovo and Serbia, revealing on social media they were on the verge of war until he stopped it.
But his promise to deliver peace on some of the biggest conflicts in the world remain elusive.
The war between Russia and Ukraine continues as Trump seeks to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
Trump said talks were ongoing and expressed his hope that the war could end.
‘We’re getting close,’ he said.
