Yerevan Vague on Possible Pashinyan, Aliyev Meeting with Trump This Friday
Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s office on Monday neither confirmed nor denied media reports and he and President Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan are to travel to Washington later this week and possibly meet with President Donald Trump.
“At this moment we can neither confirm nor deny the information generated in the press and social media about Prime Minister Pashinyan’s upcoming visit to the United States,” Pashinyan’s office told the Armenpress news agency, in response to a query.
What prompted the question was a post by Washington-based Azerbaijani journalist Alex Raufoglu.
“Multiple sources confirm to me that Armenia and Azerbaijan are poised to announce their intention for peace later this week in Washington,” Raufoglu said in a post on X on Monday.
“Trump is expected to host both Nikol Pashinyan and Ilham Aliyev in the White House on Friday, sources tell me,” he added without giving further details.
Raufoglu, who reports from Washington, has been linked to the Turan news agency, Azerbaijan’s last “independent” outlet. The agency announced in February that it would close, citing financial reasons.
Pashinyan’s office on Monday said that confirmation of the prime minister’s meetings are traditionally announced through press statements.
“As you know, as of this moment we haven’t released any official statement and therefore please consider the information as confirmed only after an official press release is issued,” Pashinyan’s office said.
Official Baku also has not commented on the matter.
While the White House and the State Department have not commented on the reported meeting, Senator Steve Daines, a Republican of Montana, who serves on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee told The Wall Street Journal that Trump is “on the brink” of finalizing what he called a “landmark peace agreement” between Azerbaijan and Armenia.
Describing the anticipated accord as “an outstanding achievement,” Daines emphasized its significance as a crucial step toward fostering regional and international stability.
He underscored that the agreement promises not only to bring peace to the South Caucasus but also to generate far-reaching economic benefits extending well beyond the immediate parties involved.
Daines highlighted that numerous prior attempts by third-party nations and international organizations to broker peace in the region had proven largely ineffective or short-sighted. He criticized previous US administrations for failing to prioritize the region and its peace efforts, suggesting that these missed opportunities contributed to prolonged tensions.
Contrasting this, the senator praised President Trump for actively promoting growth and stability in the South Caucasus and beyond, portraying his administration’s engagement as a transformative force in the peace process.
Looking ahead, Daines expressed optimism that the imminent signing of the peace deal by the leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan will solidify a new era of peace and security—not only within the South Caucasus but across the broader international community.
