Shusha, Azerbaijan
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev recently commended former President Donald Trump, describing him as an unusually effective peacemaker. His distinctive approach to diplomacy was credited with playing a crucial role in the historic Armenia-Azerbaijan peace agreement and fostering a new phase in U.S.-Azerbaijan relations.
Speaking at the 4th Shusha Global Media Forum, which gathered hundreds of journalists, media executives, and policymakers from over 50 nations, Aliyev responded to a question about Trump’s differences from previous administrations. He highlighted that, unlike past leaders who spent nearly three decades freezing the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict, Trump’s perspective was fundamentally different.
Aliyev referred to Trump as a “peace-loving man” who perceives peace as a chance for opportunity. He noted that Trump’s involvement became critical as both Azerbaijan and Armenia neared the final stages of their peace negotiations. Trump and his team, by understanding Azerbaijan’s concerns and persuading Armenia that peace was in everyone’s best interest, created a framework that made the peace agreement feasible.
He recalled the White House summit last August, where Trump hosted him and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan. During that meeting, they signed a joint declaration, and the foreign ministers of both nations began to hash out the details of a peace agreement. This agreement also led to the formation of a joint U.S.-Azerbaijani working group aimed at implementing the agreement within six months, which Aliyev felt underscored the Trump administration’s dedication to following through.
Aliyev stated that, through the work of the Joint Implementation Group, the Trump administration upheld its commitments made at the White House. “I think this is the first time I’ve witnessed U.S. officials sticking to their promises like this,” he mentioned.
Moreover, he asserted that this successful execution laid the groundwork for a broader strategic partnership between Washington and Baku, ramping up U.S.-Azerbaijan relations to an “unprecedented” level. He expressed amazement at the transformation, noting it was something he had only dreamed about previously.
Aliyev pointed out that Trump’s strategy differed significantly from that of past U.S. administrations, which tended to keep the conflict on hold rather than work toward a resolution. Instead, the Trump administration viewed peace as an attainable goal and actively pursued solutions to foster long-term stability.
He remarked that this perspective appeared to have carried over into the Biden administration. He recalled that Senator Biden once supported sanctions against Azerbaijan, contributing to years of strained ties with Washington. However, he felt that relations had greatly improved under Trump.
Aliyev reflected on Trump’s overall diplomatic approach, asserting that his qualities as a “peace-loving person” who views peace as a chance not only defined his character but also had led to actual diplomatic progress. He noted Trump’s claims of having played a role in resolving various international conflicts and suggested that Azerbaijan’s experience illustrates the effectiveness of that approach.
In conclusion, Aliyev expressed gratitude to Trump and key team members like Steve Witkoff and Aryeh Lightstone, who were instrumental in achieving peace between Azerbaijan and Armenia.
