On August 8th, President Trump hosted the leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan for the signing of a historic peace deal between the two countries and the US.
The deal is aimed at normalizing relations between the two nations who have been at odds for decades over a border dispute.
This is another diplomatic win from the Trump administration that shows that many of these long-standing global conflicts that were ignored or even fueled by the Biden administration and deemed “unsolvable” are in fact solvable.
Of course, nothing can get resolved overnight, and there is still work to be done in many of these instances but the initial steps have been taken which are often the most important as they stop fighting and unnecessary killing.
Many may be wondering why the Trump administration bothers to focus on such relatively low significance conflicts, such as the Armenia-Azerbaijan dispute, or the DRC-Rwanda dispute when we have larger conflicts still ongoing in Russia/Ukraine and Israel/Gaza.
But the Trump administration is showing wisdom that the so-called “adults in the room” in the Biden administration lacked.
These small conflicts create opportunities for larger powers like Russia, which benefit from instability that keeps smaller states weak and dependent. Resolving these conflicts not only saves lives but also denies Russia, China, and other global bad actors the chance to expand their influence and sow further discord.
As an American with Armenian heritage, I am particularly optimistic about the opportunities this deal will create for economic partnerships.
And I am thankful to have a President who is paying attention to this region and bringing both Azerbaijnis and Armenians closer to peace.
The "Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity" created by this deal, will no doubt bring economic success for the US and the South Caucasus region.
One needs only to look to the Armenian diaspora in America to see the work ethic, ingenuity, and craftsmanship that Armenian culture can contribute when given the opportunity.
The details of the deal include two separate agreements that Azerbaijan and Armenia signed with the United States. The agreements include points on energy, technology, economic cooperation, border security, infrastructure and trade.
Additionally, the two countries signed a historic declaration together brokered by the US and centered on ending conflict. According to several articles the corridor is going to run through a mountainous region between Armenia and Azerbaijan. In the agreement Armenia has agreed to award the U.S. exclusive special development rights on the Zangezur Corridor land for 99 years.
The U.S. would sublease the land to a consortium that will develop rail, oil, gas and fiber optic lines and possibly electricity transmission along the 27-mile corridor.
The joint declaration is the first ever declaration signed between the two countries who were both previously states of the former Soviet Union and regained their freedom when the USSR was disbanded in 1991.
There are still issues to be worked out between the two nations, such as alleged human rights abuses by Azerbaijan towards ethnic Armenians, but in order to address any of these concerns the two nations must first stop the fighting and resume relations.
Although this agreement may not address every issue right now, I believe it is better to take the first step, than to stall progress completely.
This opportunity may not be around forever, as due to Russian President Vladimir Putin’s ongoing battlefield failures in Ukraine that have pulled his focus and economic resources completely to that conflict. Russian influence is finally waning in Azerbaijan, which created an opening for the US to facilitate this deal.
While we may never see the cliché “World Peace," the Trump administration is showing that there is a real benefit to trying anyways. Balancing America First policies and strength with fast paced action that takes advantage of opportunities for diplomacy when they arise is a winning approach for America in the Golden Age.