2 April: Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov is starting a series of visits to member countries of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) on Monday. Lavrov is heading to Armenia, Azerbaijan, Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan.The visits to Armenia and Aze

Armenia, Azerbaijan, and the United States, on 10 August 2026, issued a joint statement. It said: One year ago, President Trump hosted a historic White House summit with President Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan and Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan of Armenia where President Aliyev and Prime Minister Pashinyan signed the Joint Declaration for peace. Witnessed by the three leaders, the draft “Agreement on the Establishment of Peace and Inter-State Relations between the Republic of Armenia and the Republic of Azerbaijan” was initialed by the Armenian and Azerbaijani Foreign Ministers. On this first anniversary, there is deep pride in what our countries have achieved together and great resolve to build upon the foundation that ended decades of conflict and put the South Caucasus on a path towards a more prosperous future. In recognition of these historic and tremendous efforts to secure peace, President Aliyev and Prime Minister Pashinyan jointly nominated President Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize.   The Joint Declaration provided a concrete roadmap for Armenia and Azerbaijan, with the support of the United States, to strengthen peace, achieve prosperity, and deepen partnership. In the year since these courageous leaders gathered, the countries have laid the groundwork for continued success.    ✓ Armenia and Azerbaijan maintained stability along the Armenia-Azerbaijan border, and the two sides are taking concrete steps to normalize relations, delimit borders, and build confidence through measures essential to lasting stability.   ✓ The Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity (TRIPP) — a multimodal transit route — is moving from vision to reality, with concrete progress such as the U.S.-Armenia agreement to form the TRIPP Development Company to lead infrastructure development. Engineering surveys in Armenia are already underway. Azerbaijan has nearly completed in its territory a highway and railroad to connect to TRIPP in Armenia.  The three countries also support the building of an electricity transmission line through the TRIPP.   ✓ The United States granted $201 million to the Trans-Caspian Enterprise Fund to help bring private sector investment to the Trans-Caspian Trade Route (Middle Corridor) in the South Caucasus and Central Asia.    ✓ The United States has deepened ties with both Armenia and Azerbaijan, signing charters outlining new, bilateral strategic partnerships, as well as Memoranda of Understanding on energy security, border infrastructure and security, AI and semiconductor innovation, and critical minerals, which are investments in the long-term prosperity of all three nations and have already produced tangible results.   ✓ Following the spirit of the White House peace summit, Azerbaijan has unilaterally lifted all transit restrictions with respect to Armenia. Within one year, close to 60,000 tons of goods have been transported to and from Armenia through Azerbaijan. Azerbaijan also supplied 20,000 tons of oil products to Armenia. The two countries continue to work to increase bilateral trade.   ✓ Telecom operators in the two countries signed an internet agreement that will diversify regional connectivity routes, enhance reliability and resilience in the South Caucasus, and support infrastructure development in Eurasian telecom networks.     ✓ The OSCE Minsk Group and related structures were dissolved at the joint request of Armenia and Azerbaijan — a recognition that the era of unresolved conflict is over.   ✓ Upon invitation of the United States, Armenia and Azerbaijan joined the Board of Peace, demonstrating that they stand side by side with the United States in efforts to create a more peaceful and prosperous world.    The United States, Armenia, and Azerbaijan reaffirm their unwavering support for the sovereignty, territorial integrity, and jurisdiction of both Armenia and Azerbaijan within their internationally recognized borders. The three states remain committed to the full implementation of the August 8 Joint Declaration, in both letter and spirit, as well as unlocking the extraordinary economic potential of the region.  Additionally, the United States remains committed to the full implementation of the bilateral Charters and Memoranda of Understanding signed with Armenia and Azerbaijan and tostrengthening its bilateral relationships with both countries.   True peace is never achieved in just one day, but as President Trump says – Promises Made, Promises Kept. Azerbaijan and Armenia’s steps toward a lasting peace are a model for the world – and we look forward to the region’s bright and prosperous future.

The Mecca Joint Defence Agreement, signed on 7 August 2026 in Mecca, by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, establishes a collective defence arrangement under which an armed attack against any one of the three states is to be regarded as an attack against all three. This is a historic step, and the agreement is a landmark event, that will change the future of the wider Middle East. Saudi Arabia, Turkiye and Pakistan are different countries with many particular features. But there is enough common ground between them to make the new situation created by the Mecca Defence Agreement significant, and their efforts credible. They are also complimentary in terms of what they can bring to the process that they are about to start.Pakistan and Turkiye have large and developed standing armiies; Pakistan has nuclear weapons; Turkiye has a dynamic and expanding arms industry; Saudi Arabia has financial resources, and extensive diplomatic kudos in the Islamic world and beyond. The official statement announcing the new agreement said: “Guided by the longstanding historical ties among the three states, based on the enduring bonds of brotherhood and Islamic solidarity that unite them, and building upon their shared strategic interests and longstanding defense cooperation, HRH the Crown Prince, the President of Türkiye, and the Prime Minister of Pakistan signed the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement, reflecting the three states' shared commitment to further strengthening their collective security and to promoting peace, security, and stability in the region and beyond, in pursuit of a secure and prosperous future. The agreement is intended to strengthen collective deterrence against any act of aggression, and stipulates that any armed attack against any one of the three states shall be regarded as an attack against them all. It further provides for the enhancement of all aspects of defense cooperation among the three states”. Turkish foreign minister Hakan Fidan said that the pact would function similar to NATO, with a minister's committee, political and military committees, and a permanent secretariat to oversee the implementation of decisions. The permanent general secretariat is expected to be based in Saudi Arabia.