Peace agreement signed in Washington

A peace deal ends decades of conflict in the South Caucasus with a high profile signing in Washington and a shift away from Moscow.

Peace holds as Azerbaijan and Armenia sign long awaited agreement

In Washington, Armenia's Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev signed a peace agreement in the presence of U.S. President Donald Trump, ending nearly four decades of fighting over Nagorno Karabakh. The accord dissolves the OSCE Minsk Group and creates a new transit corridor that would connect Azerbaijan with its Nakhchivan exclave through Armenian territory, a plan described as the Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity. The corridor would be operated under Armenian law with a U.S. lease to a private consortium for infrastructure and management.

Officials frame the signing as a turning point in regional diplomacy, with Washington taking the lead while Moscow steps back from a mediator role. Azerbaijan seeks to cement its post war gains and expand trade links, while Armenia hopes to rejoin regional markets and diversify its economy. The agreement also raises questions about sovereignty, how the route will be governed, and how both sides will implement the terms amid domestic pressures and broader great power rivalries.

Analysts say the deal signals a shift in the region away from Moscow toward Washington, with Turkey likely to benefit from closer connectivity. The ceremony's absence of Russia underscores a realignment in security and economic ties. Dissolving the Minsk Group removes a familiar mediation channel, tilting the balance toward bilateral talks. The Trump Route could unlock new trade and energy links, but it concentrates decision making in a private consortium and a host country, which may raise questions about transparency and governance. The move also sets a test for regional stability, as both nations juggle sovereignty concerns with the lure of bigger economic and strategic gains.

Highlights

The road ahead will reveal whether peace can translate into shared prosperity.