The media began reporting on another round of peace negotiations between Armenia and Azerbaijan in mid-July. Although the leaders of the two countries have repeatedly stated that almost all points of the peace agreement have already been agreed upon, the process appears to be stalling. 

Last month, US President Donald Trump repeatedly referred to the Armenian-Azerbaijani negotiations. During the meeting with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte on July 14, he stated that the normalization of relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan is likely to be successful. A few days before the US President’s statement, a meeting took place in the United Arab Emirates between Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev. 

It is worth noting that official information about the U.S.-mediated negotiations was scarce. While political analysts expressed different opinions, the sides refrained from making official statements.  

In early August, Alex Raufogli, an Azerbaijani journalist working for Kyiv Post in Washington, reported that on Friday, August 8, U.S. President Donald Trump would meet with the leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan. The Ukrainian website also noted that the leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan are poised to announce their intention for peace.  

A day later, the meeting between the leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan was officially confirmed, but the main question—what document would be signed in Washington—remained unknown.  

On August 6 and 7, the first details of the Washington negotiations appeared in the media. Although unofficial, experts believe that these details were very close to the actual content of the talks. On August 7, Reuters reported, citing its sources, that according to a document to be signed on Friday, Armenia plans to award the United States exclusive special development rights for an extended period on a transit corridor that will be named the TRIPP (Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity).

It should also be noted that the route will be operated in accordance with Armenian law, and the United States will sublease the land to a consortium for infrastructure and management. "Through commercial means, this step will unlock the region and avert further hostilities," Reuters quotes one of the officials.

An analysis of publicly available information suggests that most likely, with the signing of the agreement, the issue of the so-called extraterritorial ‘corridor’ will be removed from the agenda. Armenia opens communication channels within its jurisdiction. Armenia and Azerbaijan utilize the unblocked routes, adhering to the previously discussed and presented principles of sovereignty, reciprocity, and jurisdiction.  

It should also be noted that the signing of such a document is fully consistent with the “Crossroads of Peace” initiative proposed by the Armenian government two years ago. Armenia gains railway, transport and other infrastructure links with Iran, Russia and other neighboring countries. All infrastructure passing through Armenian territory, as in all other regions of the country, would operate under the sovereignty and legal framework of the Republic of Armenia.  

The signing of the agreement, mediated by the United States, was generally welcomed. In this sense, US President Donald Trump’s post on August 8 was not coincidental: “ I look forward to hosting the President of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, and the Prime Minister of Armenia, Nikol Pashinyan, at the White House tomorrow for a Historic Peace Summit. These two Nations have been at War for many years, resulting in the deaths of thousands of people. 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. Tomorrow, President Aliyev and Prime Minister Pashinyan will join me at the White House for an official Peace Signing Ceremony. The United States will also sign Bilateral Agreements with both Countries to pursue Economic opportunities together, so we can fully unlock the potential of the South Caucasus Region. I am very proud of these courageous Leaders for doing the right thing for the Great People of Armenia and Azerbaijan. It will be a Historic Day for Armenia, Azerbaijan, the United States, and, THE WORLD.”

Trump and Pashinyan Meeting

On August 8, several high-ranking officials of the Republic of Armenia made posts on the upcoming meeting and agreements. They all noted that communication channels will remain open and all projects will be implemented under the jurisdiction of Armenia. This idea was also confirmed by White House Deputy Press Secretary Anna Kelly: “This will allow unimpeded connectivity between the two countries while respecting Armenia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.” The White House confirmed that the project will be implemented within the framework of Armenian legislation. 

On August 8, during a meeting between US President Donald Trump and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, several memoranda of understanding were signed. In one of the documents, the United States expresses its support for the Armenian government’s Crossroads of Peace project. At the same time, the United States will invest in this field and contribute to the development of Armenia’s border and customs capabilities.  

Sargis Khandanyan, Chair of the National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Foreign Relations, stated that 3 documents stemming from the Memorandum of Strategic Partnership between Armenia and the United States have been signed between the Republic of Armenia and the United States of America. “The first and most important of these concerns the Crossroads of Peace project. The United States welcomes the Crossroads of Peace project. In fact, the document gives the project the highest recognition from the United States. The second concerns energy: the United States will support Armenia in the field of energy security, with particular emphasis on the development of civil nuclear energy. This means that in the future, the United States will provide significant support for the construction of a nuclear power plant. The third concerns high-tech and artificial intelligence.”

Trilateral Declaration

On August 8, following bilateral meetings and the signing of agreements, a trilateral meeting was held, resulting in the signing of a joint declaration. According to the Prime Minister of Armenia, this document, considered historic, confirms all the provisions of the peace treaty between Armenia and Azerbaijan. The foreign ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan also called on the OSCE “to dissolve the OSCE Minsk Process and related structures.” The remaining provisions of the declaration were fully consistent with the information released earlier.  

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Armenia issued a statement, according to which the sides initialed “the Agreement on the Establishment of Peace and Interstate Relations between the Republic of Armenia and the Republic of Azerbaijan.”

After the official initialing ceremony, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan provided explanations to Armenian journalists. He notes that according to the Declaration, Armenia and Azerbaijan will mutually use the newly opened internal and international communication channels. Thus, Armenian citizens will have the right to freely travel through the territory of Nakhchivan to Syunik and Azerbaijani citizens will travel to Nakhchivan in the same way. 

As for the Trump Route project, it stems from the Crossroads of Peace project: the United States officially recognizes this project and is interested in investing in it. 

The agreements reached are also beneficial to other countries in the region. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan noted that through this project, Iran will gain access to rail connection from the Persian Gulf to the Black Sea, while Russia will gain access to communication channels with Iran. 

The Trump Route project is not just about railways, potential pipelines- gas pipelines and oil pipelines, power lines, that will pass through Armenia, are also of key importance here. 

The documents signed in Washington promise great prospects for the development of the region and Armenia, but the parties will have to work hard to fully realize them.