August 9, 2025 – Washington, D.C.
The official visit of Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev to the United States on August 7–8 produced major results in both bilateral relations and the normalization process between Azerbaijan and Armenia, the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry said in a statement summarizing the trip.
One of the key outcomes was the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between President Aliyev and U.S. President Donald Trump to establish a Strategic Working Group tasked with drafting a Charter of Strategic Partnership between the two countries within six months.
The planned Charter will focus on strengthening cooperation in priority areas, including regional connectivity, energy, trade and transit, economic investment—particularly in artificial intelligence and digital infrastructure—as well as defense, security, and counterterrorism. The move is seen as an important step toward creating an institutional framework for practical bilateral cooperation.
Suspension of Amendment 907
During the visit, President Trump signed an executive order suspending Amendment 907 to the Freedom Support Act, a measure long viewed by Baku as a negative legacy in Azerbaijan-U.S. relations.
Breakthrough in Armenia Peace Talks
In Washington, Aliyev, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, and President Trump participated in a trilateral peace summit, culminating in the signing of a Joint Declaration by the Azerbaijani and Armenian leaders. The foreign ministers of both countries also initialed a draft Peace and Interstate Relations Agreement and sent a joint appeal to the OSCE Chair-in-Office calling for the termination of the Minsk Process and its related structures—a long-standing Azerbaijani demand since 2020.
The declaration reaffirmed Azerbaijan’s peace agenda but noted that additional steps are needed before the peace treaty can be signed and ratified, including amendments to Armenia’s Constitution to remove territorial claims against Azerbaijan.
A dedicated section of the declaration addressed the opening of transport links between mainland Azerbaijan and the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic. It also announced a U.S.-supported project within Armenia—the “Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity”—to facilitate this connection.
Energy Cooperation Expanded
In the presence of President Aliyev and the U.S. president’s special envoy, SOCAR and ExxonMobil signed a Memorandum of Cooperation to strengthen existing ties and explore potential partnerships in developing both conventional and unconventional oil and gas resources in Azerbaijan.
The Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry described the agreements reached as historic for Azerbaijan-U.S. relations and a significant advance in the peace process between Azerbaijan and Armenia.
