Rubio marks first anniversary of Armenia-Azerbaijan peace deal, highlights TRIPP progress

United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio has released a statement marking the first anniversary of the Armenia-Azerbaijan peace summit in Washington.

Below is the full statement, published by the U.S. State Department.

“One year ago today, President Trump secured peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan when he hosted President Aliyev of Azerbaijan and Prime Minister Pashinyan of Armenia together at the White House and witnessed their signing of a historic Joint Declaration. This declaration ended decades of conflict in the South Caucasus and launched the trailblazing Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity — TRIPP.

Over the past twelve months, the United States has worked side-by-side with Armenia and Azerbaijan to turn that promise into progress. The TRIPP – a multimodal transit route that will modernize rails, road, energy and digital infrastructure – is on its way to becoming a reality with engineering surveys for the railway in Armenia already underway and Azerbaijan’s near completion of a highway and railroad to connect into Armenia.

Peace has opened the door to enhanced relationships between the United States, Armenia, and Azerbaijan that will add to the economic prosperity of all three countries. Today, I am pleased to announce that the Trans-Caspian Enterprise Fund is up and running, led by a newly elected board of directors and capitalized with $201 million in U.S. government funding to spur private sector investment across the Trans-Caspian Trade Route (Middle Corridor) in the South Caucasus and Central Asia.

This progress reflects a simple truth: peace and prosperity reinforce one another. TRIPP is more than an infrastructure project — it is a vital link in the Trans-Caspian Trade Route, a driver of commercial opportunities for the United States and others, and a model for how economic cooperation can cement peace following the resolution of long-standing disputes.

The United States remains fully committed to working with Armenia and Azerbaijan as they build on this foundation. We congratulate both nations on the courage and vision they have shown over the past year, and we look forward to continued progress toward a durable, lasting peace in the South Caucasus.”