Washington: One year has passed since the agreements were reached between Azerbaijan and Armenia in Washington on August 8, 2025. The meeting, held with the participation of US President Donald Trump, marked the initialing of the text of the peace agreement between the two nations and outlined political commitments undertaken by both parties. This event stands as a significant diplomatic development in the post-conflict period of the South Caucasus.
According to Azeri-Press news agency, over the past year, several changes have unfolded in Azerbaijan-Armenia relations. Political and diplomatic contacts have intensified, the border delimitation process has continued, and steps have been taken toward dismantling international mechanisms associated with the former conflict. Concrete work is underway to open transport communications and expand opportunities for economic cooperation.
Metin Mammadli, a political scientist and Head of Department at the Center of Analysis of International Relations, regards the August 8, 2025, Washington meeting as a pivotal political and diplomatic achievement for Azerbaijani diplomacy in the post-conflict era. He emphasizes the meeting's importance beyond the initialing of the peace agreement, noting that it affirmed international recognition of the new geopolitical reality in the South Caucasus after 2020.
Mammadli highlights that following the Second Karabakh War, Azerbaijan advocated for moving relations to the interstate level, establishing peace based on international law. The Washington meeting solidified principles such as sovereignty, territorial integrity, and the inadmissibility of acquiring territory by force. The summit is seen as a consolidation of the new reality created by Azerbaijan after 2020.
Armenian political commentator Artur Aghajanov also views the Washington meeting as a turning point in bilateral relations. He notes that the event marked the culmination of long-standing negotiations and introduced a new form of third-party involvement in the peace process. Aghajanov highlights the emergence of practical and institutional ties between the parties and the increase in civil society contacts, which contribute to positive dynamics in the peace process.
The initialed peace agreement holds significant political and legal implications. Mammadli explains that initialing signifies an agreed text exists, marking the completion of negotiations over the content. However, the treaty has not yet entered into force. The document reaffirms mutual recognition of sovereignty, territorial integrity, and the inviolability of borders.
Aghajanov views the initialed agreement as a sign of Armenia's shift toward independent decision-making as a regional political actor. He notes that the Washington format demonstrated Armenia's capacity to make decisions without external influence, aligning with Azerbaijan's long-standing independent political course.
Mammadli considers the Washington meeting a result of Azerbaijan's peace strategy, aimed at building relations based on universal principles of international law and sovereignty. The acceptance of this approach by Armenia and other actors is seen as a testament to Azerbaijan's consistent foreign policy post-Second Karabakh War.
Aghajanov believes the two countries are gradually moving toward a peace agreement, recognizing the futility of continued conflict. He notes that the Washington format represents a new stage, characterized by independent decision-making by Armenia and Azerbaijan, without external pressure.
Over the past year, significant developments have occurred, including the formal termination of the OSCE Minsk Process and progress in border delimitation. However, unresolved issues remain, such as the formal signing of the peace agreement and domestic political challenges within Armenia.
Mammadli and Aghajanov both emphasize the potential of economic cooperation to underpin peace. They highlight the importance of establishing transport connections, economic interdependence, and regional cooperation to transform the region's economic landscape.
The main challenges to peace include unresolved constitutional issues in Armenia, the opening of the Zangezur Corridor, and regional geopolitical dynamics. Mammadli warns against revanchist tendencies in Armenia, while Aghajanov acknowledges differing public opinions but notes a gradual shift toward support for normalization.
The historic significance of the Washington meeting lies in transitioning Azerbaijan-Armenia relations from conflict management to interstate normalization. The focus has shifted to issues like border delimitation, transport, energy, trade, diplomatic contacts, and regional cooperation, paving the way for stability and development in the South Caucasus and beyond.