Trump credits himself for Armenia-Azerbaijan peace in State of the Union Address
Speaking for a record one hour and forty-seven minutes - the longest State of the Union address in US history - Trump included the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict in a list alongside Israel-Hamas, Israel-Iran, India-Pakistan, Serbia-Kosovo, Rwanda-Congo, Egypt-Ethiopia, and Thailand-Cambodia, framing them collectively as proof of his administration’s foreign policy success.
Trump did not dedicate specific remarks to Armenia or Azerbaijan beyond the passing reference, but the mention came just five days after he had spoken at length about the two countries at the inaugural meeting of his newly established Board of Peace on February 19.
At the inaugural Board of Peace meeting held at the US Institute of Peace in Washington on February 19, Trump singled out the leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan for praise, describing the peace process as one of his signature diplomatic achievements.
Speaking with both Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and President Ilham Aliyev present in the room, Trump recalled the circumstances of their agreement, saying the two leaders had been uncomfortable sitting close to each other in the Oval Office given the long history of hostilities between their countries, but that over the course of intensive discussions they ultimately reached an agreement.
“These are two tough cookies. You think that was easy? It wasn’t easy. These are two tough people, good people, but tough people,” Trump said, addressing the leaders directly.
He described the conclusion of the process in personal terms: “We made a deal, they hugged, they signed, and we had peace, two very important countries, and I’ll never forget it.”