Ankara: Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has arrived in the US as Washington, DC, prepares to host a trilateral meeting involving US President Donald Trump and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, which could potentially end the over 30-year conflict between the two South Caucasus neighbors, his office stated on Thursday.
According to Anadolu Agency, the Azerbaijani presidency confirmed Aliyev's arrival as part of his working visit to the country at Trump's invitation, noting that he was greeted by government officials at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland. Aliyev's visit to the US follows an announcement by Armenian Prime Minister Pashinyan's press secretary, Nazeli Baghdasaryan, who stated on Facebook that Trump will host trilateral peace talks in Washington, DC, aiming to promote peace, prosperity, and economic cooperation in the region.
Baghdasaryan indicated that Pashinyan would visit the US on August 7-8, during which he will also conduct a bilateral meeting with Trump. Her statement followed a report by the Washington Post that Trump will host the two leaders at the White House on Friday, with the possibility of announcing a peace agreement as a result of the talks.
Azerbaijan's president and Armenia's prime minister previously met in Abu Dhabi, where they discussed efforts to normalize relations and agreed to continue negotiations and confidence-building measures. Tensions between the two former Soviet republics date back to 1991, when the Armenian military occupied Karabakh and seven adjacent regions. Most of the territory was reclaimed by Azerbaijan during a 44-day war in 2020, which concluded with a Russian-brokered peace agreement.
In September 2023, Azerbaijan established full sovereignty in Karabakh after separatist forces surrendered. Earlier this year, both countries announced they had reached a consensus on all 17 articles of a peace deal, although it remains unsigned. In July, Trump mentioned during a meeting with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte that efforts to secure a peace agreement between Armenia and Azerbaijan appear to be moving towards a successful conclusion.