“For me, peace with Armenia is done,” President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev told France 24 on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference, reflecting on six months of calm on the border and progress in trade and regional cooperation.
President Aliyev also referred to the historic trilateral summit at the White House with U.S. President Donald Trump and Armenia’s Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, which produced a Joint Declaration aimed at ending decades of conflict.
“Since that time, more than six months have passed, and we have a very quiet situation on the border with Armenia. No more shootings, no victims, no wounded,” Aliyev said.
He noted that Azerbaijan has lifted transit restrictions and begun supplying critical oil products to Armenia, marking the start of direct trade relations.
President Aliyev stressed that formal peace requires constitutional changes in Armenia, particularly the removal of territorial claims on Garabagh. “As soon as it is done, there will be no obstacles to the formal signing of a peace agreement… Definitely this year,” he said.
President Ilham Aliyev highlighted the Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity (TRIPP), a road and rail corridor connecting Azerbaijan’s Nakhchivan exclave through Armenia to Europe. He described the U.S. role as decisive in making the project a reality, noting the short Armenian segment of the corridor and ongoing infrastructure work on Azerbaijan’s side.
He also discussed the recent visit of U.S. Vice President JD Vance, which resulted in the Charter on Strategic Partnership between Azerbaijan and the United States, covering defense, energy, connectivity, AI, investment, and trade.
“Thus, we became an official strategic partner of the most powerful country in the world, and we consider it a big success for our country,” President Aliyev said.
Responding to questions about the harsh prison sentences for former separatist leaders in Garabagh, President Aliyev affirmed that the trials were transparent and based on documented crimes.
“These people committed serious crimes against humanity… Their crimes were even worse than what the Nazis did during World War II,” he said.
President Ilham Aliyev rejected calls for clemency while reiterating Azerbaijan’s offer for displaced Armenians to return under fair terms.
The Azerbaijani leader addressed past tensions with France, citing criticism and unauthorized visits to Garabagh by French politicians during the Second Garabagh War. He emphasised that recent interactions with President Emmanuel Macron have been constructive, signaling a “restart button” for bilateral relations.
“We were not the source of the problems… Now both sides are more ready for normal relations, especially after Armenia and Azerbaijan have already achieved peace,” he said.
Throughout the interview, President Aliyev underlined Azerbaijan’s commitment to regional stability, economic connectivity, and international cooperation, while asserting the country’s sovereignty and strategic interests in the South Caucasus.
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