The first meeting of the Board of Peace on Gaza was held in Washington on Thursday at the initiative of U.S. President Donald Trump, with Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev in attendance.Prime Minister Pashinyan later published a video on social media showing that, ahead of the council meeting, he had “contacts with foreign partners.” The footage also shows Pashinyan and Aliyev speaking with each other, though no further details of their conversation have been disclosed so far.
Pashinyan also held a brief conversation with the U.S. President Donald Trump, he wrote on Facebook, sharing a video. No details of the discussion were disclosed.
During his speech at the inaugural summit of the Board of Peace in Washington, D.C., Trump once again stated that he had contributed to the settlement of eight conflicts, including the one between Armenia and Azerbaijan.
“Thirty years of struggle, and we resolved everything. Thank you very much. That’s a great deal. I think they (Nikol Pashinyan and Ilham Aliyev) have become friends. I’m not sure I can say that, but I think so,” Trump said, commenting on the normalization process between the two countries.
Trump described Pashinyan and Aliyev as good people and strong leaders, adding that he would always remember achieving peace between two very important countries. He said that nearly all conflicts addressed through his mediation were resolved in almost two days.
Recalling their previous meeting at the Oval Office, he noted that at first the two leaders had felt uncomfortable sitting close to each other, given the long history of hostilities. However, over the course of discussions, he said, they moved closer and ultimately reached an agreement.
“So they started off a little weak and they ended up really strong, and you can be very proud of yourselves. It was a beautiful thing to see. Thank you,” Trump said, urging the two leaders to shake hands.
The meeting was held without representatives from several permanent members of the UN Security Council. France, the United Kingdom, Russia, and China did not send delegates. Initially announced as an initiative aimed at overseeing Gaza’s reconstruction, the council’s mandate now appears broader, with Trump assigning it the task of addressing global conflicts.
Hikmet Hajiyev, assistant to the President of Azerbaijan, highlighted the symbolism of the meeting on X, writing: “Against the backdrop of the word PEACE written in large capital letters, the President of Azerbaijan and the Prime Minister of Armenia shake hands. What may seem like a coincidence holds deep symbolic meaning. Ilham Aliyev, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, participates in the inaugural meeting of the Board of Peace as a founding member state. President Donald Trump, as the Founding Chairman of the Board of Peace, once again underscored the Azerbaijan–Armenia peace agenda.”
Pashinyan and Aliyev had earlier joined Trump in Davos on January 22 during the World Economic Forum for the ceremonial signing of the Board of Peace charter. Representatives of the founding countries signed the document in Trump’s presence, formally establishing the body.
