Daijiworld Media Network- Washington

Washington, Aug 8: US President Donald Trump will host Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev at the White House on Friday for what he has called a “Historic Peace Summit” — a move aimed at ending decades of bitter conflict between the two former Soviet republics.

Announcing the event on Thursday through his Truth Social platform, Trump said the meeting would feature an “official Peace Signing Ceremony” between the two nations, which have fought two wars over the disputed Karabakh region. Azerbaijan regained control of the territory in a lightning offensive in 2023, triggering the exodus of over 100,000 ethnic Armenians.

“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, thanks to ‘TRUMP,’” the US President wrote, adding that his administration had been working with both sides “for quite some time.”

Trump also revealed that Washington would sign bilateral agreements with both Armenia and Azerbaijan to “pursue economic opportunities together” and unlock the South Caucasus region’s potential. On Thursday, a key step in that direction was taken when ExxonMobil and Azerbaijan’s state energy company SOCAR signed a memorandum of cooperation in Washington, witnessed by President Aliyev and Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff.

While Armenia and Azerbaijan agreed on a comprehensive peace deal text in March, Baku has since demanded constitutional changes in Armenia to renounce territorial claims on Karabakh before signing. It remains unclear whether these conditions have been met ahead of Friday’s ceremony.

The leaders last held talks in July in the UAE and earlier in May during the European Political Community summit in Albania, where international mediators, including French President Emmanuel Macron and European Council President Antonio Costa, urged the swift finalisation of a peace agreement.

Calling Friday “a Historic Day for Armenia, Azerbaijan, the United States, and the world,” Trump said he was proud of the “courageous leaders for doing the right thing” and vowed that the summit would mark a new chapter for peace and prosperity in the region.