Armed conflict

Armenia, Azerbaijan Agree on Peace Deal to Resolve Conflict

MAR 14 2025·Updated MAR 15 2025

Story

Above: An Armenian soldier patrols the checkpoint nearby the demarcation line outside Askeran. Image credit: Andrey Borodulin/Contributor/AFP via Getty Images

The Facts

Armenia and Azerbaijan have concluded negotiations on a draft peace agreement aimed at ending nearly four decades of conflict over the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region.
Politico
X
On Thursday, the Armenian Foreign Ministry accepted Azerbaijan's proposals on "the two previously unresolved articles" of the draft agreement, declaring "the peace agreement is ready for signing" and expressing willingness to discuss the timing and location.
France 24
Am
Al Jazeera
In its statement, Azerbaijan's Foreign Ministry acknowledged the conclusion of negotiations but said that Armenia must amend its constitution to "eliminate the claims against the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Azerbaijan" before the agreement can be signed.
News.az
CNN
The conflict's roots trace back to the late 1980s when Nagorno-Karabakh, then predominantly populated by ethnic Armenians, broke away from Azerbaijan with Armenian support, leading to mass displacements of both Azeris and Armenians from their respective territories.
Reuters
Global Conflict Tracker
Baku and Yerevan fought two wars for control of Karabakh — at the end of the Soviet Union and again in 2020 — before Azerbaijan seized the area through a military offensive in September 2023. The 1K-kilometer shared border between the two nations remains closed and heavily militarized.
Reuters
France 24
Azerbaijan's 24-hour offensive in 2023 — after a nine-month blockade of Nagorno-Karabakh — reportedly resulted in the exodus of over 100K ethnic Armenians to Armenia, fundamentally altering the region's demographic landscape.
ReliefWeb
Dw.Com
guardian

Sources Split

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The Spin

Narrative A

Armenia has shown flexibility by accepting proposals on critical issues, including the non-deployment of third-country forces along the border and the mutual withdrawal of international legal claims. There had been no discussions regarding Baku's demand that Armenia amend its constitution. Setting such preconditions isn't a positive development.

Armenpress

Narrative B

Azerbaijan is ready to continue the bilateral dialogue on issues related to the normalization process between the two countries. However, constitutional amendments in Armenia and the abolishment of the obsolete and dysfunctional Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe Minsk Group are non-negotiable prerequisites for signing the peace agreement.

MFA

Narrative C

This is a historic opportunity to normalize relations and establish lasting peace in the region. In line with the Statute of the Council of Europe, Armenia, and Azerbaijan must ensure the smooth completion of this deal to end their long-standing dispute and ensure the sovereignty and territorial integrity of both countries.