White House hosting Armenia, Azerbaijan peace signing

WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — 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.”