Armenia and Azerbaijan Sign Historic Peace Agreement

Two leaders who started their White House meeting on opposite sides of the room ended it with a hug that symbolizes hope for an entire region.

Armenia and Azerbaijan signed a historic peace agreement last week, ending more than three decades of hostility over the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region. The deal marks a turning point for two nations that have fought two wars since 1988, resulting in over 36,000 deaths and displacing more than a million people.

The signing ceremony itself captured the journey from division to peace. Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev initially positioned themselves on opposite sides of the Oval Office. President Trump asked them to move closer together.

"After one hour, they were right next to each other," Trump said at a Board of Peace event. "We made a deal, they hugged, they signed, and we had peace with two very important countries."

The conflict centered on Nagorno-Karabakh, a mountainous region internationally recognized as part of Azerbaijan but home to a predominantly ethnic Armenian population. Fighting first erupted in 1988 as the Soviet Union collapsed, leading to a war that killed 30,000 people by 1994.

A 2020 war reignited the violence, claiming 6,500 more lives in just six weeks. In 2023, Azerbaijan regained full control of the region, prompting over 100,000 ethnic Armenians to flee to Armenia within days.

Despite decades of international mediation efforts, a lasting peace agreement had remained out of reach. Key sticking points included security guarantees for ethnic Armenians and the region's political status.

The Ripple Effect

The agreement unlocks more than peace between two nations. The United States plans to sign bilateral economic agreements with both countries to develop the South Caucasus region, creating new opportunities for trade and cooperation in an area long defined by conflict.

For families torn apart by decades of fighting, the deal offers something even more valuable than economic development. Parents can now imagine a future where their children won't grow up fearing the next outbreak of violence.

The transformation from enemies keeping their distance to leaders embracing shows that even the deepest divisions can be bridged with commitment and courage.