Armenia, Azerbaijan leaders welcome Trump’s participation in the “historical” peace deal

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev in exclusive interviews with Fox News’ digital numbers Peace Agreement As a “historic” opportunity to end the conflict for thirty years and carry out a new era in the South Caucasus region.

The two leaders spoke separately Donald Trump and the U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff directed months of negotiations that resulted in a framework agreement.

They outline plans for trade, infrastructure and investment, while acknowledging that key political and humanitarian issues may still need to be resolved before the deal is completed.

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Competitive view on constitutional changes

Aliyev said the agreement could not be formally signed until Armenia amended its constitution, which he claimed still questioned Azerbaijan’s sovereignty.

“This is their homework,” Aliyev said. “After completion, the final peace agreement will be signed.”

Pashinyan rejected the situation, insisting that Armenia has committed to respecting the integrity of its territory and has no “territorial claims” to any neighbor. He confirmed that his government was drafting a new constitution but called it an “internal issue” not related to the peace clause.

Economic Cooperation and Tripp Corridor

A core pillar of the deal is the creation of the “Tripp Corridor” or Trump’s path to international peace and prosperity, a transportation and trade route designed to connect Armenia and Azerbaijan more directly, while integrating the Southern Caucasians into a wider international transportation and energy network.

Aliyev called the project a “important part of international transportation” and said it would link the Caspian region to the European market. middle East and Asia. The corridor is expected to carry goods, energy supplies and may serve as a railway hub for cross-regional trade.

Pashinyan describes an agreement “based on the principles of territorial integrity, sovereignty, jurisdiction, reciprocity and internationally recognized borders.”

“Now we have de facto peace…it’s time for a common investment project, economic cooperation,” he said. “The participation of the United States will make the whole story more attractive to potential investors.”

Pashinyan describes an agreement “based on the principles of territorial integrity, sovereignty, jurisdiction, reciprocity and internationally recognized borders.” (Reuters/Kevin Lamarque)

Humanitarian issues still exist

The status of refugees and detainees in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict remains unresolved. Thousands of Armenians fled the region after Azerbaijan regained control during the 2020 war and military operations in 2023. Many were resettled in Armenia, but disputes were still returning to the right, property claims and the fate of those detained during the battle.

Azerbaijan insists that the detained prisoners were fighters or saboteurs, and Armenia and international human rights groups described many of them as political prisoners. Pashinyan warned that raising “very sensitive issues” is too aggressive to risk slashing tensions.

“The issue of refugees is important, but we need to focus on signing peace agreements… Continuously poking through some very sensitive issues may restore conflict and I think it’s very important for Armenia and Azerbaijan to focus on the implementation of consensus that has been reached.”

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“It’s just President Trump…he jumped in immediately [peace] “The process added that if Trump continues to serve after the 2020 election, it may be what we are going through today… [would have happened] Earlier. ” (Reuters/Kevin Lamarque)

Praise Trump and criticize Biden

Aliyev praised Trump for his direct involvement in the peace process and criticized his unfair portrayal of Azerbaijan under the Biden administration. He pointed to Azerbaijan’s cooperation with U.S. military efforts in Iraq and Afghanistan, and said Trump’s return to active diplomacy has made the current breakthrough possible.

“It’s just President Trump…he jumped in immediately [peace] “The process added that if Trump continues to serve after the 2020 election, it may be what we are going through today… [would have happened] Earlier. ”

White House Ceremony and Regional Significance

The interview comes as Pashinyan and Aliyev join the White House for hours when Trump announced the deal, a rare public solidarity that has long been defined by war, blockade and distrust.

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While the framework sets the stage for normal relations, both leaders acknowledge that decades of hostilities won’t disappear overnight. “It’s impossible to change everything in one day, a week or even a year,” Pashinyan said. “But that’s what we want – the leader, President Aliyev and myself are all very bright and we want to change the whole situation.”

For Trump, the incident marked a high-profile example of his transaction certificate on the world stage. This is a step forward for Armenia and Azerbaijan, both of which say they are ready to establish – if the remaining disputes can be resolved.