Generations of diplomats dismissed decades of bitter conflict between Azerbaijan and Armenia as insoluble, but that ended when US President Donald Trump returned to office. This is written in an article by US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, published in the Washington Examiner.

“Thanks to the president’s bold, visionary leadership, today marks one year since the Joint Declaration of Peace was signed between these two nations, which ended more than 35 years of bloodshed — an accomplishment nothing short of remarkable,” the article adds.

The US president has gone beyond previous constraints to prioritize peace between Azerbaijan and Armenia, Witkoff noted.

Trump’s foreign policy doctrine is unique in that he is willing to look anyone in the eye to advance American interests, including in bringing peace to protracted conflicts—and this case was no exception, the US special envoy added.

Intensive negotiations were held in Baku and Yerevan. After that, it became clear that the conflict needed to be viewed from a different perspective, Witkoff said.

The practical issues, especially Azerbaijan’s need for unhindered access to its Nakhchivan exclave, have long been viewed as a zero-sum territorial dispute. What was needed was not another round of hackneyed formulas, but fresh thinking, creative solutions, and, most importantly, leadership, the US special envoy stated.

That leadership was first demonstrated by Trump, which opened a window of opportunity that resulted in the TRIPP concept—a partnership between the United States and Armenia to create unhindered multimodal transportation routes through Armenia, with full respect for its territorial integrity and sovereignty, Witkoff added.

Trump prioritized practical results over showmanship, and that approach paid off, the US special envoy noted.

Today, TRIPP is recognized worldwide as a model for resolving seemingly intractable disputes through creativity, strength, and mutual benefit, rather than endless talks, Witkoff stated.

Over the past year, the United States has worked with Armenia and Azerbaijan to implement this agreement. The parties expect TRIPP to pass through the Caspian Sea, and the concept will also develop in the Middle East, the US special envoy noted.

In an era when complex conflicts are unfolding in several regions simultaneously, Trump holds a unique position that enables him to strive for peace and prosperity where others see only a dead end, Witkoff stated.

The South Caucasus is safer and more stable today because US President Donald Trump, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan have chosen results over rhetoric, the US special envoy concluded.