In an exclusive joint interview with Euronews in Doha, senior representatives of Armenia and Azerbaijan described how the peace process between the two countries began – and how both sides now see a shared future after decades of conflict.
For the first time, officials from the two governments sat side-by-side in a public setting to discuss the transformation of the South Caucasus. They emphasized that Yerevan and Baku are committed not only to ending hostilities, but also to launching a new phase of regional economic integration.
Hikmet Hajiyev, Foreign Policy Assistant to the President of Azerbaijan, and Armen Grigoryan, Secretary of Armenia’s Security Council, said the post-war dialogue started in 2020 after the latest round of fighting. The process, supported by the European Union, culminated in a landmark peace agreement between President Ilham Aliyev and Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, signed by U.S. President Donald Trump.
Speaking publicly next to his counterpart for the first time, Hajiyev noted that the two sides “had a good opportunity to meet” in Brussels – a turning point that pushed both governments toward reconciliation and “a decision to leave old disagreements behind.”
Grigoryan told Euronews that both leaders were driven by the need to “bring peace and stability to the region,” which led to discussions on how to institutionalize the agreement and move forward. “The achievement is significant, and we recognize it,” he said.
“Peace is a strategic commodity”
Grigoryan emphasized that building trust remains a gradual process: “In any conflict, the sides do not trust each other. But we are working on this. As the famous song says – it is one more brick in the wall, in a positive sense. We are trying to build a wall of trust.”
Hajiyev described the joint peace effort as “a success story in the global context of wars and conflicts,” noting that with the conflict chapter closed and peace established on the ground, Armenia and Azerbaijan have already begun preparing for extensive economic cooperation.
Both representatives pointed to regional connectivity projects as crucial tools for strengthening interdependence – and, in turn, the sustainability of peace. “We are confident that implementing regional economic initiatives will increase mutual dependence and bring tangible benefits to both societies,” Grigoryan said.
He added that their joint appearance in the Doha studio itself “is proof that we are moving in this direction.”
A peace architecture for future generations
Both officials stressed that the peace process is designed for the long term and that the goal is to make the new reality irreversible. “This requires substantial work from both countries and both societies,” they noted, pointing to decades of mistrust that must be gradually overcome through what they called “confidence-building measures.”
The conversation also touched on the Washington agreement’s broader ambitions. Hajiyev highlighted what he called the “big, beautiful deal” reached in the U.S., which Grigoryan referred to with the same phrase, noting that it is tied to the proposed “Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity” (TRIPP) – a major regional connectivity initiative.
According to Grigoryan, discussions with the United States on TRIPP are moving at full speed: “I hope it happens very soon. After that, the technical process will begin – opening the route, unlocking the region. This is a huge and extremely important historical project for us.”
Both sides concluded by saying that the era of war is over, that peace must be “permanent,” and that Armenia and Azerbaijan must now focus on a shared future shaped by cooperation rather than conflict.
