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Russia has described the peace deal between Armenia and Azerbaijan as “positive” and voiced hope that it will contribute to stability in the volatile South Caucasus region, which borders Russian territory.“The meeting of the leaders of the South Caucasus republics in Washington, mediated by the American side, deserves a positive assessment. We hope that this step will help advance the peace agenda,” foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Saturday, as quoted by news agency AFP.The agreement, signed in Washington on Friday, saw Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev shake hands across US President Donald Trump at the White House. The accord is aimed at ending nearly four decades of hostility, including two major wars over the Nagorno-Karabakh region that left tens of thousands dead.A key feature of the deal is the creation of a major transit corridor, officially named the Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity, linking Azerbaijan to its Nakhchivan exclave. The route will also connect directly to Turkey, offering Azerbaijan faster access to European markets for its oil and gas exports.Trump said naming the route after him was “a great honour” but insisted, “I didn’t ask for this,” according to news agency AP. Both leaders credited the US president for the breakthrough, with Pashinyan calling the deal a “significant milestone” and Aliyev saying, “President Trump in six months did a miracle.”Beyond regional trade, the agreement also carries geopolitical weight. According to senior US officials cited by AP, the accord allows Washington to deepen its influence in the South Caucasus at a time when Russia’s traditional role as mediator has weakened significantly following its 2022 invasion of Ukraine.The two nations have also signed separate agreements with the United States to boost cooperation in energy, technology, and the economy. Negotiations over the development of the Trump Route, expected to include rail links, energy pipelines, and fibre optic lines, will begin next week, with at least nine developers already expressing interest.The signing comes as Trump prepares for another high-stakes diplomatic engagement, a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska next Friday to discuss the war in Ukraine.
