Trump brings peace to Caucasus: Inside the Armenia-Azerbaijan deal 30 years in the making

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

Aliyev said the agreement cannot be formally signed until Armenia amends its constitution, which he claims still questions Azerbaijani sovereignty. 

Pashinyan rejected that condition, insisting Armenia is already committed to respecting territorial integrity and has "no territorial claims" towards any neighbor. He confirmed that his government is drafting a new constitution but called it an "internal issue" unrelated to the peace terms.

One central pillar of the deal is the creation of the "TRIPP corridor," or Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity, a transport and trade route designed to connect Armenia and Azerbaijan more directly while integrating the South Caucasus into broader international shipping and energy networks.

Pashinyan described the agreement to open communications "based on principles of territorial integrity, sovereignty, jurisdiction, reciprocity and internationally recognized borders" as a breakthrough.

The status of refugees and detainees from the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict remains unsettled. Tens of thousands of ethnic Armenians fled the region after Azerbaijan regained control in the 2020 war and a 2023 military operation. Many resettled in Armenia, but disputes continue over the right to return, property claims and the fate of those detained during and after the fighting.

Azerbaijan maintains that prisoners in its custody are combatants or saboteurs, while Armenia and international human rights groups describe many of them as political prisoners. Pashinyan cautioned that raising "very sensitive issues" too aggressively could risk reigniting tensions.

Aliyev praised Trump's direct involvement in the peace process and criticized what he called unfair portrayals 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 made the current breakthrough possible.

The interviews came hours after Pashinyan and Aliyev joined Trump at the White House to announce the agreement - a rare moment of public unity in a region long defined by war, blockades and mistrust.

While the framework sets the stage for normalized relations, both leaders acknowledged that decades of hostility will not disappear overnight. "It isn't possible to change everything during a day, a week or even a year," Pashinyan said. "But this is a very bright expression of what we want - both leaders, President Aliyev and myself - we want to change this whole situation."

For Trump, the event marked a high-profile example of his deal-making credentials on the world stage. For Armenia and Azerbaijan, it was a step toward a future that both say they are ready to build - if the remaining disputes can be resolved.