Trump to host Armenia, Azerbaijan leaders; 'peace agreement' likely, says US official

US President Donald Trump is expected to host the leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan at the White House for peace talks on Friday, Reuters reported citing officials.

A US official said to Reuters that the meeting could lead to the signing of a framework peace agreement between the two countries, an important step toward resolving a conflict that has spanned over three decades.

Decade long conflict

Armenia and Azerbaijan, both former Soviet republics, gained independence in 1991 after the collapse of the USSR. However, tensions between them began in the late 1980s over Nagorno-Karabakh, a region within Azerbaijan that was predominantly populated by ethnic Armenians. Backed by Armenia, Nagorno-Karabakh broke away from Azerbaijani control in the early 1990s, sparking a war.

The conflict flared up again in 2020 when Azerbaijan, with support from Turkey and advanced military technology, reclaimed much of the territory it had lost.

A Russian-brokered ceasefire followed, but fighting resumed in 2023 when Azerbaijan launched a rapid military offensive and regained full control of the region. The operation led to a mass exodus of over 100,000 ethnic Armenians to Armenia.

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Armenia, Azerbaijan sign joint declaration in Trump-led Washington summit With eyes on Nobel Peace Prize, Trump hosts Armenia & Azerbaijan's leaders for peace deal

In March 2025, Armenia and Azerbaijan announced they had reached a draft peace agreement, but progress since then has been slow. Their most recent talks were held in Abu Dhabi in July.

Now, with President Trump hosting both leaders in Washington, hopes are high that a final peace deal may soon be reached, potentially bringing an end to one of the longest-running conflicts in the post-Soviet space.