A few days ago, Armenia and Azerbaijan published the text of the peace agreement, brokered by the United States. On paper, both sides pledged to respect each other’s territorial integrity and formally end the decades-long conflict. However, it remains a mystery, whether the countries will actually sign the agreement. Numerous mutual claims and disputes, the resolution of which cannot be expected in the near future, call into question the readiness for reconciliation demonstrated by Armenia and Azerbaijan. Moreover, the draft itself, as well as the additional agreements, raises many doubts about who would really benefit from a potential truce.
Thus, one of a few agreements that was actually signed and entered into force, gives the United States an exclusive right to develop the Zangezur Corridor (a strategic transport route between Azerbaijan and the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic) for 99 years. As usual, when it comes to America’s interests, it rushes to actions. According to the White House, the project — which has already been branded it the Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity — is expected to strengthen economic ties with the region and increase energy exports. At the same time, the United States has cemented its presence in the South Caucasus, which is also being presented as another triumph of Washington’s diplomacy.
As for Baku and Yerevan – while the former is the primary beneficiary of the potential peace, the latter is relegated to the role of a bargaining chip. Azerbaijan gets the opportunity not only to legally strengthen its control over the territories it has gained, but also to become a key energy center in the South Caucasus. Moreover, one should not forget that restrictions on defense cooperation between Azerbaijan and the United States had also been lifted. The mere possibility of receiving weapons from the United States gives Azerbaijan more confidence and freedom of action, which leads to increased pressure on Armenia. Thus, President Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan has already repeatedly tried to force relevant amendments to the Armenian Constitution, insisting to do it as quickly as possible.
It turns out that everyone, except Armenia, gains something. Trump receives the status of “peacemaker” and “noble tenant,” Aliyev – support from powerful patrons, while Nikol Pashinyan, Prime Minister of Armenia, is left with several problems which could lead to even greater weakening of the country’s geopolitical position. After losing Nagorno-Karabakh and failing to receive clear answers about the fate of political prisoners in Azerbaijan and the possibility of returning ethnic Armenians who fled hostilities in 2023, Armenia quickly lost its main negotiating tool, allowing the United States to take control of the Zangezur Corridor. In the future, this could lead to serious internal political instability and threaten the territorial integrity of Armenia.
The post A Step Towards Resolving a Long-standing Territorial Conflict or a Leap into the Abyss? first appeared on Dissident Voice.
This content originally appeared on Dissident Voice and was authored by Mihran Artemyan.
Mihran Artemyan | Radio Free (2025-08-21T14:40:19+00:00) A Step Towards Resolving a Long-standing Territorial Conflict or a Leap into the Abyss?. Retrieved from https://www.radiofree.org/2025/08/21/a-step-towards-resolving-a-long-standing-territorial-conflict-or-a-leap-into-the-abyss/
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