Aliyev’s U.S. visit heralds a pivotal moment for the South Caucasus

President Ilham Aliyev’s working visit to the United States featured high-level talks, landmark agreements, and a historic peace signing, marking a turning point in Azerbaijan’s relations with Washington and the wider South Caucasus.

Arrival in the U.S. and working visit agenda

On 7 August, 2025, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev arrived in Washington for a working visit at the invitation of U.S. President Donald Trump. Upon arrival at Joint Base Andrews, he was welcomed by government officials. The visit’s agenda included high-level political and economic discussions, as well as key agreements aimed at advancing bilateral relations and fostering regional stability.


Meeting with Witkoff and ExxonMobil agreement

President Ilham Aliyev met in Washington with U.S. President’s Special Envoy Steve Witkoff. Prior to their talks, a “Memorandum of Cooperation” was signed between SOCAR and ExxonMobil in the presence of President Aliyev and Special Envoy Witkoff. The document was signed by Mikayil Jabbarov, Azerbaijan’s Minister of Economy, and John Ardill, Vice President of ExxonMobil.

Following the signing ceremony, President Aliyev and Special Envoy Witkoff discussed the bilateral agenda and regional issues. They exchanged views on prospects for strategic cooperation between Azerbaijan and the United States, the normalisation process between Armenia and Azerbaijan, and the broader regional peace agenda.

Meeting with President Donald Trump

On 8 August, President Ilham Aliyev arrived at the White House, where he was welcomed by U.S. President Donald Trump. The two leaders held a bilateral meeting that concluded with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the Governments of Azerbaijan and the United States on establishing a Strategic Working Group to prepare a Charter on Strategic Partnership.

During their conversation, President Aliyev described the move as ending “33 years of sanctions” and credited President Trump for making it possible. He praised Trump’s role in bringing peace to Asia, Africa, and now the South Caucasus. Trump, in turn, highlighted past achievements in resolving conflicts, including between Pakistan and India, and commended Aliyev’s leadership.

In a cordial exchange, the leaders reflected on the decades-long conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan, with Aliyev noting its origins in 1988 and the long years of unsuccessful negotiations. President Trump presented Aliyev with symbolic gifts, including commemorative coins and the symbolic key to the White House, which he described as a rare gesture.

Azerbaijani, U.S., and Armenian leaders deliver joint White House statements

U.S. President Donald Trump hosted Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan at the White House for a landmark peace summit. The leaders announced the initialling of a peace agreement, committing to end decades of conflict, open transport and trade links, and respect each other’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.

President Trump hailed the accord as a “historic” achievement, introducing the “Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity” – a transit corridor connecting Azerbaijan’s mainland to its Nakhchivan region through Armenia, under an exclusive U.S. partnership for development. He also announced expanded cooperation with both nations in energy, technology, defence, and trade, alongside the lifting of restrictions on U.S.–Azerbaijan defence collaboration.

President Aliyev described the day as a “historic achievement” that ended 33 years of sanctions and opened the way to a strategic partnership with the United States. He praised Trump’s mediation, crediting him with resolving conflicts across multiple regions, and welcomed the new opportunities for investment, stability, and regional connectivity.

Prime Minister Pashinyan called the agreement a foundation for a “new era” in Armenia–Azerbaijan relations, highlighting the role of U.S. leadership in brokering the breakthrough. Both leaders backed a joint proposal to nominate Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize.

The summit concluded with assurances from Aliyev and Pashinyan that the Washington agreement would secure lasting peace in the South Caucasus, replacing decades of confrontation with cooperation and reconciliation.
 

 

JOINT DECLARATION by the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia on the outcomes of their meeting in Washington D.C., United States of America

We, the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia, having met in Washington D.C., United States of America, on August 8, 2025, declare the following:

1. We and President Donald J. Trump of the United States of America witnessed the initialing of the agreed upon text of the Agreement on Establishment of Peace and Inter-State relations between the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Republic of Armenia by the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the Parties. In this respect, we acknowledged the need to continue further actions to achieve the signing and ultimate ratification of the Agreement, and emphasized the importance of maintaining and strengthening peace between our two countries;

2. We also witnessed the signing of the joint appeal to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) on the closure of OSCE’s Minsk Process and related structures by the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Republic of Armenia. We call on all OSCE participating States to adopt this decision.

3. We reaffirmed the importance of the opening of communications between the two countries for intra-state, bilateral, and international transportation for the promotion of peace, stability, and prosperity in the region and in its neighborhood on the basis of respect for the sovereignty, territorial integrity, and jurisdiction of the States. These efforts are to include unimpeded connectivity between the main part of the Republic of Azerbaijan and its Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic through the territory of the Republic of Armenia with reciprocal benefits for international and intrastate connectivity for the Republic of Armenia.

4. The Republic of Armenia will work with the United States of America and mutually determined third parties, to set forth a framework for the “Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity” (TRIPP) connectivity project in the territory of the Republic of Armenia. We confirm our determination to pursue efforts in good faith to achieve this goal in the most expeditious manner.

5. We acknowledge the need to chart a course for a bright future not bound by the conflict of the past, consistent with the Charter of the United Nations and the 1991 Almaty Declaration. The conditions have been created for our nations to finally embark on building good neighborly relations on the basis of the inviolability of international borders and the inadmissibility of the use of force for the acquisition of territory after the conflict that brought immense human suffering. This reality, which is not and should never be subject to revision, paves the way for closing the chapter of enmity between our two nations. We resolutely reject and exclude any attempt of revenge, now and in the future.

6. We express our confidence that this Summit is a strong foundation for mutual respect and the advancement of peace in the region.

7. We express deep gratitude to President Donald J. Trump of the United States of America for his gracious hospitality in hosting this important summit and for his significant contributions to advancing the normalization of bilateral relations between the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Republic of Armenia.

The present Declaration was signed on August 8, 2025, in Washington D.C., United States of America.

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Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev United States Donald Trump