According to an article by journalist Chase Winter in Energy Intelligence (August 22, 2025), on August 8 at the White House Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev signed a peace declaration mediated by US President Donald Trump. This step could bring an end to nearly four decades of conflict and open the way for major changes in the region.
The centerpiece of the deal is the Tripp project — a 99-year lease of a 20-mile corridor through southern Armenia. The route is intended to connect Azerbaijan with Nakhchivan and Turkey, and in the future include a railway, communication lines, and oil and gas pipelines. According to Washington’s vision, Tripp will become part of the “Middle Corridor” transport network stretching from China to Europe, bypassing Russia and Iran.
The political and energy implications of the project are significant. For Armenia, it provides an opportunity to reduce dependence on Russian energy; for Azerbaijan, it strengthens its transit potential; and for Turkey, it boosts regional influence. In the long term, the initiative could pave the way for the long-discussed Trans-Caspian gas pipeline from Turkmenistan to Europe.
Moscow and Tehran have reacted cautiously but with concern. Russian experts acknowledge that the project undermines Russia’s interests and weakens its North–South transport corridor. In Iran, the corridor was labeled a “conspiracy against the country,” with threats to block it. At the same time, the US is consolidating the role of American companies in the energy sector while also signing new agreements in trade, technology, and defense.
The peace agreement could also facilitate normalization of relations between Armenia and Turkey. However, experts warn that US involvement in such a sensitive region will inevitably provoke a response from both Moscow and Tehran.
