Pashinyan, Aliyev agree to expand trade talks

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan met with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev in Abu Dhabi, in the United Arab Emirates on Wednesday. 

The meeting coincided with the Sheikh Zayed Foundation’s “Zayed Award for Human Fraternity” ceremony, where both leaders were honored as laureates. The award committee said the two were recognized for ‘promoting dialogue, peace, and regional stability’.

In a statement, Pashinyan’s office said the sides welcomed progress in implementing outcomes of the Washington Peace Summit, hosted by U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House. They stressed the importance of maintaining positive momentum in advancing the Armenia–Azerbaijan normalization process through direct bilateral talks.

According to the Armenian government’s readout, the leaders said both societies are already seeing practical benefits of peace on the ground. They expressed satisfaction with the start of bilateral trade, the ongoing export of oil products from Azerbaijan to Armenia, and the transit of grain and other goods from third countries to Armenia through Azerbaijani territory.

Pashinyan and Aliyev agreed to continue exploring opportunities to expand trade and economic cooperation, and that confidence-building measures should be broadened.

The implementation of TRIPP and other regional connectivity projects were also discussed.