Witkoff: Azerbaijan's president is a strong leader ready to take difficult steps for the sake of peace
Generations of diplomats considered the long-running bitter conflict between Azerbaijan and Armenia unsolvable, but that ended when President Donald Trump returned to office.
This was stated in an article by the U.S. president's special envoy Steve Witkoff, published in the Washington Examiner.
"Thanks to the president's bold and far-sighted leadership, today marks one year since the signing of the Joint Declaration on Peace between these two countries, which put an end to more than 35 years of bloodshed — an achievement that is truly outstanding.
As the special envoy of the President of the United States, I have had the honor of advancing his peace agenda.
The president went beyond previous constraints by placing peace between Azerbaijan and Armenia at the forefront.
Our engagement began with a visit to Baku in March 2025. From the first contact, it became clear that the U.S. relationship with Azerbaijan and Ilham Aliyev had not received due attention.
Trump's foreign policy doctrine is unique in that he is ready to look anyone in the eye in order to advance American interests, including establishing peace in protracted conflicts. This case was no exception.
The president of Azerbaijan demonstrated himself to be a strong, decisive leader ready to take difficult but necessary steps to achieve peace. Aliyev impressed us as a man who understands both the interests of his country and the broader agenda of regional stability. That visit convinced our team that progress was possible.
Likewise, in Armenia we were pleased to find a pragmatic and courageous leader in Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, capable of making decisions that are at times unpopular but best for his people.
Over the following five months, we held intensive negotiations in Baku and Yerevan. After that, it became clear that the conflict had to be viewed from a different perspective.
What was needed was not another round of hackneyed formulas, but fresh thinking, creative solutions and, most importantly, leadership.
This leadership was first shown by Trump, which opened a window of opportunity, resulting in the TRIPP concept — a partnership between the United States and Armenia to create unimpeded multimodal transport routes through Armenia with full respect for its territorial integrity and sovereignty.
Trump preferred practical results to a showy process, and this approach has proven itself.
Today, the TRIPP concept has received worldwide recognition as a model for resolving seemingly unsolvable disputes through creativity, strength and mutual benefit, rather than endless negotiations.
Over the past year, the United States has worked with Armenia and Azerbaijan to implement this agreement. We expect TRIPP to extend across the Caspian Sea, and the concept will also develop in the Middle East.
In an era of complex conflicts unfolding simultaneously in several regions, Trump retains a unique position that allows him to strive for peace and prosperity where others see only a dead end.
The South Caucasus today is safer and more stable, because Trump, Aliyev and Pashinyan chose results over rhetoric," Witkoff wrote.
