Trump Says Armenia’s Pashinyan and Azerbaijan’s Aliyev Are Now His ‘Good Friends’ After Controversial Peace Treaty

US President Donald Trump announced that Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev are now his "good friends." 

President Donald Trump said, "Great Honor being with the Prime Minister of Armenia, Nikol Pashinyan, and the President of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, as we signed a Peace Treaty after decades of War and Death. These are two wonderful men, and Great Leaders. They are now good friends of mine!"

The peace treaty was signed last Friday at the White House and is being promoted by Washington and Baku as a historic step toward ending decades of conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan. However, many Armenians view the deal as a serious setback that fails to address the core issues at the heart of the conflict.

The deal ignores Azerbaijan’s continued aggression against Armenia and the illegal occupation of Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh). It makes no mention of Armenian prisoners of war still held in Azerbaijan or the rights of displaced Armenians from Artsakh to return safely to their ancestral homes. This has left many Armenians feeling betrayed and forgotten.

The conflict over Artsakh, whose Armenian population has suffered greatly, remains unresolved. The ongoing occupation of these lands by Azerbaijani forces has caused years of war and loss. Without respecting the rights of Armenians, lasting peace remains out of reach.

Additionally, the deal includes a controversial provision that allows the United States to control a corridor called the "Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity" (TRIPP) through Syunik, an Armenian province bordering Iran. The US has been granted management rights over this route for 99 years. Experts warn that this could damage Armenia’s close relations with Iran.

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