Armenia and Azerbaijan finalize peace deal after decades of conflict

Armenia and Azerbaijan have agreed on the text of a peace agreement, marking a major step toward ending nearly four decades of conflict, officials from both countries announced on Thursday. The agreement follows years of hostilities over Nagorno-Karabakh, a region that had a mostly ethnic-Armenian population but was internationally recognized as part of Azerbaijan.

The two nations fought multiple wars since the late 1980s, with the most recent flare-up in 2023, when Azerbaijan retook the region, prompting nearly all of its 100,000 Armenians to flee. Armenia’s Foreign Ministry confirmed that it has finalized the peace deal and is ready to discuss the signing date and location with Azerbaijan.

Azerbaijan’s Foreign Ministry also expressed satisfaction with the negotiations. However, the treaty’s signing remains uncertain, as Azerbaijan demands Armenia amend its constitution, which it claims implicitly challenges Azerbaijani sovereignty—an accusation Armenia denies.

The long-running conflict has led to mass displacement, with hundreds of thousands of Azeris and Armenians forced from their homes over the years. Despite agreeing to peace talks, reports say relations between the two nations remain tense, and their heavily fortified 1,000 km border remains closed.