WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump will host the leaders of sworn enemies Armenia and Azerbaijan on Friday, touting the prospect of sealing a long-sought peace deal between the two regional rivals after decades of conflict.
Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev will attend a “Peace Signing Ceremony” at the White House, Trump posted Thursday on his Truth Social platform.
The latest US diplomatic push comes a day after Cambodia’s prime minister announced he had nominated Trump for a Nobel Peace Prize.
Trump has repeatedly praised his own diplomatic efforts, saying he deserves the prize, while also voicing frustration about the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war and the hunger plaguing Gaza during Israel’s offensive.
Peace has also been elusive for Armenia and Azerbaijan. Sworn enemies for decades, the two former Soviet republics went to war twice over the disputed Karabakh region, which Azerbaijan recaptured from Armenian forces in a lightning 2023 offensive, sparking the exodus of more than 100,000 ethnic Armenians.
The two countries have held talks aimed at securing a peaceful resolution, including last month in the United Arab Emirates, but a breakthrough has proved elusive.
“These two Nations have been at War for many years, resulting in the deaths of thousands of people,” Trump wrote.
“Many Leaders have tried to end the War, with no success, until now, thanks to ‘TRUMP.’ My Administration has been engaged with both sides for quite some time,” he added, saying he was “very proud of these courageous Leaders for doing the right thing.”
Friday “will be a Historic Day for Armenia, Azerbaijan, the United States, and, THE WORLD,” Trump said.
Trump, a billionaire business tycoon, also said that Washington will sign bilateral deals with both countries “to pursue Economic opportunities together, so we can fully unlock the potential of the South Caucasus Region.”
One major agreement was already inked in Washington on Thursday, when Aliyev and Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff were present for a memorandum of cooperation signed between ExxonMobil and Azerbaijan’s state energy company SOCAR.
Aliyev and Witkoff then sat down for talks, the Azerbaijan president posted on X.
The former Soviet republics had agreed on the text of a comprehensive peace deal in March.
But Azerbaijan has since outlined a host of demands — including amendments to Armenia’s constitution to drop territorial claims for Karabakh — before signing the document.
It was not immediately clear Thursday whether those demands have been met. And while Trump said his administration “has been engaged with both sides for quite some time,” he did not provide specifics on the document that will be signed by representatives of the two countries.
In early July, Pashinyan and Aliyev met for the latest round of peace talks in the United Arab Emirates, but they failed to yield a breakthrough.
The two foes had previously met on the sidelines of the European Political Community summit in Albania in May.
At the time, French President Emmanuel Macron and European Council President Antonio Costa called for a prompt signature of a peace agreement between the two countries.
A deal to normalize ties would be a major breakthrough in a region where Russia, the European Union, the United States and Turkiye all jostle for influence.
Trump to host Armenia, Azerbaijan for historic ‘Peace Signing’
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Trump to host Armenia, Azerbaijan for historic ‘Peace Signing’
- US President Donald Trump will host the leaders of sworn enemies Armenia and Azerbaijan on Friday, touting the prospect of sealing a long-sought peace deal between the two regional rivals after decade
- Peace has also been elusive for Armenia and Azerbaijan. Sworn enemies for decades, the two former Soviet republics went to war twice over the disputed Karabakh region
Putin says developing Russia’s nuclear forces ‘absolute priority’
- Putin vowed to keep “strengthening the army and navy” and draw on military experience from the nearly four-year conflict in Ukraine
MOSCOW: President Vladimir Putin said Sunday that developing Russia’s nuclear forces was now an “absolute priority” following the expiry of its last remaining nuclear treaty with the US.
“The development of the nuclear triad, which guarantees Russia’s security and ensures effective strategic deterrence and a balance of forces in the world, remains an absolute priority,” Putin said in a video message.
His speech came on Russia’s “Defender of the Fatherland Day,” a holiday that is an occasion for military pomp and Kremlin-sponsored patriotism.
Putin vowed to keep “strengthening the army and navy” and draw on military experience from the nearly four-year conflict in Ukraine.
All branches of the armed forces would be improved, he said, including their “combat readiness, their mobility, and their ability to operate in all conditions, even the most difficult.”
Putin’s remarks came just two days before the fourth anniversary of Russia’s assault on Ukraine that sparked a war that has shattered towns, uprooted millions and killed large numbers on both sides.
Moscow and Washington — the world’s two main nuclear powers — are no longer bound by any arms control pact since the New START agreement expired earlier this month.
But Russia said it would continue taking a “responsible” approach to strategic nuclear capability and respecting the limits set on its arsenal.
