Trump Hailed for Role in Azerbaijan-Armenia Peace Efforts, Leaders Suggest Nobel Prize Nomination
Washington D.C. – Former President Donald Trump hosted Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan at the White House, where they discussed and affirmed progress towards a lasting peace agreement between their nations. The meeting culminated in expressions of gratitude from both leaders towards Trump’s involvement, wiht both suggesting he be nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize.
A key declaration during the meeting was the lifting of restrictions imposed by the United States in 1992 on military cooperation with Azerbaijan. President Aliyev expressed his “gratitude” for this move, stating the agreement “would not have been possible” without Trump’s efforts. Prime Minister Pashinyan echoed this sentiment, highlighting Trump’s “personal commitment” to peace in the region and predicting the agreement would “pave the way to end decades of conflict” and usher in “a new era based on full respect for sovereignty.”
The leaders characterized the day as “historical,” with Aliyev even calling it a “miracle.” Both Aliyev and pashinyan publicly stated their intention to advocate for Trump’s nomination for the Nobel Peace Prize. Aliyev specifically mentioned a potential “call for the Nobel Committee to grant President Trump the La Paz Prize,” while Pashinyan affirmed that Trump “deserves the Nobel Peace Prize and we will defend that, and we will promote it.”
Trump accepted the praise and used the occasion to contrast his diplomatic approach with that of his successor, President Joe Biden. He claimed Biden had not sufficiently prioritized bringing Baku and Yerevan together, stating, “He probably tried twelve minutes and did not work.”
The former President is positioning himself as a global peacemaker, citing his administration’s role in negotiating a ceasefire between Cambodia and Thailand, and brokering peace agreements between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and between Pakistan and India.
The current peace efforts stem from a long-standing conflict between Azerbaijan and Armenia over Nagorno-Karabakh, a region with a majority Armenian population located within Azerbaijan’s borders. Following the dissolution of the Soviet Union, the two nations engaged in multiple wars over the territory.
In March, Baku and Yerevan agreed on the terms of a peace treaty. A crucial element of the agreement involves Armenia amending its constitution to formally renounce any territorial claims over Nagorno-karabakh (referred to as Artsaj by Armenians), effectively severing ties with the region considered by Armenians as their ancestral homeland.
prime Minister Pashinyan has stated his willingness to proceed with this constitutional change,planning a referendum in 2027. Though, the potential loss of Nagorno-Karabakh remains a deeply divisive issue within Armenia.
Sources: AFP, AP, and Reuters agencies.
