Trump to Host Armenia-Azerbaijan Peace Summit, Unveiling ‘Trump Route’ Transit Corridor

Washington, August 8, 2025 – U.S. President Donald Trump will host a landmark peace summit at the White House today, bringing together Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan to sign a U.S.-brokered peace agreement aimed at ending decades of conflict between the two South Caucasus nations. The deal, described by Trump as a “historic” achievement, includes the establishment of a strategic transit corridor named the Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity (TRIPP), which could reshape regional trade and connectivity.

In a post on Truth Social, Trump announced, “These two nations have been at war for many years, resulting in the deaths of thousands. Many leaders have tried to end the war, with no success, until now.” He credited his administration’s persistent diplomacy, noting that the U.S. will also sign bilateral agreements with Armenia and Azerbaijan to “pursue economic opportunities together” and unlock the South Caucasus’s potential.[

The agreement marks a significant step toward resolving a conflict rooted in the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region, which has fueled tensions since the late 1980s. The region, predominantly ethnic Armenian but internationally recognized as part of Azerbaijan, was the site of two major wars, first in the early 1990s and again in 2020. Azerbaijan’s 2023 offensive reclaimed Nagorno-Karabakh, triggering the exodus of nearly 100,000 ethnic Armenians to Armenia. Despite a draft peace agreement reached in March 2025, progress stalled until recent U.S.-led negotiations, initiated by Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff in Baku and followed by multiple diplomatic trips. A centerpiece of the deal is the establishment of a 43.5-kilometer transit corridor through Armenia’s Syunik region, connecting mainland Azerbaijan to its Nakhchivan enclave, which borders Turkey. Named the Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity, the corridor will be developed under exclusive U.S. leasing rights and is expected to include rail, oil, gas, and fiber optic lines, facilitating trade and movement without reliance on Russia or Iran. U.S. officials, speaking anonymously to the Associated Press, described the corridor as a breakthrough in resolving a long-standing obstacle in peace talks, though private companies, not the U.S. government, will fund its construction

The agreement also includes a commitment to dissolve the Minsk Group, co-chaired by France, Russia, and the U.S. since 1992 to mediate the conflict, signaling a shift toward U.S.-centric diplomacy in the region. Some analysts view this as a strategic move to counter Russian and Iranian influence in the South Caucasus, with Turkey supporting the initiative. However, critics, including the Armenian National Committee of America, argue that the deal may reward Azerbaijan’s 2023 aggression and sideline issues like human rights and justice for displaced Armenians.

The summit follows recent U.S.-brokered peace efforts in regions like Cambodia-Thailand and Rwanda-Democratic Republic of Congo, reinforcing Trump’s image as a global peacemaker. U.S. officials suggest the deal could pave the way for Azerbaijan’s potential inclusion in the Abraham Accords, expanding normalization agreements with Israel. However, concerns persist about unresolved issues, such as Azerbaijan’s demand for Armenia to amend its constitution to remove territorial claims to Nagorno-Karabakh, which may require a national referendum

The signing ceremony, set to take place in the Oval Office and State Dining Room, is expected to draw global attention as a potential turning point for the South Caucasus, a region critical for energy pipelines but long plagued by closed borders and ethnic tensions. While the agreement promises economic and strategic benefits, its long-term success hinges on addressing lingering disputes and ensuring regional stability.