Armenia and Azerbaijan signed a US-brokered peace "roadmap" on Friday that US President Donald Trump said will end decades of conflict between the South Caucasus neighbors. "With this accord, we've finally succeeded in making peace," Trump told reporters in the State Dining Room, flanked by Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan. He said the deal commits both countries to end all fighting, open commerce, travel, and diplomatic ties, and respect each other's sovereignty and territorial integrity. A key component of the agreement is the development of the Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity (TRIPP), a corridor linking mainland Azerbaijan with its Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic through Armenian territory. Trump described it as an "exclusive partnership with the United States" that could last up to 99 years, with major infrastructure investment from American companies. The deal also lifts US restrictions on defense cooperation with Azerbaijan. "This is incredibly positive news for the future of the entire region," Trump said. Aliyev called the signing a "historic day," saying it would "turn the page on standoff, confrontation, and bloodshed." Pashinyan said it marked a "new era" based on mutual respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio hailed the accord as "an opportunity for both countries to move forward and unlock the economic potential of the South Caucasus." The White House described TRIPP as a multimodal transit route, similar to previous proposals for the Zangezur Corridor, but under a US-led development framework. Negotiations over its operation are set to begin next week, with nine potential operators — including three American firms — expressing interest. Working groups will begin detailing the roadmap in the coming months, and the leaders signed a joint letter urging the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe to dissolve its Minsk Group, which for decades sought to mediate the conflict. Armenia and Azerbaijan have fought multiple wars since the late 1980s, most recently in 2023 when Azerbaijan reclaimed the Karabakh region. — Agencies
