Armenia opts out of deploying peacekeepers, providing funds for Gaza

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan attended a meeting of the Board of Peace in Washington on Thursday. The session brought together leaders of countries that have joined the organization, including Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev. Armenia’s Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan also traveled to the United States.

In his speech at the event, U.S President Donald Trump mentioned the Armenia–Azerbaijan conflict, noting that after decades of warfare, the leaders of the two countries had done significant work toward establishing peace. He thanked Pashinyan and Aliyev for their efforts and emphasized what he described as the importance of the results achieved so far.

His remarks referred to the peace declaration signed by Pashinyan and Aliyev at the White House last August, as a U.S.-brokered reconciliation step. A final peace treaty, however, has yet to be signed. Baku continues to insist that Armenia amend its constitution first, arguing that it contains territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Earlier this month, Aliyev said he considers it “very realistic” that a peace treaty could be signed by the end of the year.

Pashinyan held brief conversations with several leaders on the sidelines of the session, including Trump and Aliyev.

The Board of Peace is tasked with overseeing a peace plan for the Gaza Strip. However, it is widely seen as Trump’s attempt to establish an international platform under US leadership as an alternative to the United Nations, with Trump serving as its permanent chairman. Both Armenia and Azerbaijan joined the board as founding members last month. The board’s logo, unveiled during Thursday’s meeting, also closely resembles that of the United Nations.

During the session, member states outlined their planned contributions. The United States pledged $10 billion toward the board’s initiatives and some other states agreed to contribute a combined $7 billion. Azerbaijan was at first reported to have joined, but this was later dismissed by Hikmet Hajiyev, Aliyev’s aide. Armenia will neither provide financial contributions nor send troops to participate in potential peacekeeping operations in Gaza.

All countries besides the United States that pledged either funding, troops, or both are Muslim-majority states, including Indonesia, Saudi Arabia, and Kazakhstan.

Separately, Aliyev’s bodyguards attacked exiled Azerbaijani protesters who had gathered outside the hotel where the Azerbaijani leader was staying, according to The Washington Post. At least five demonstrators were reportedly injured.

D.C. police spokesman Tom Lynch said members of the police department’s special operations division and officers from the U.S. Secret Service were present at the scene. He did not clarify whether police intervened or whether Aliyev’s guards remained in the United States, adding that the matter had been referred to the State Department.

Neither the State Department nor the Azerbaijani embassy in Washington has so far provided comments.