Abu Dhabi: In a crucial move aimed at ending decades of hostility, the leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan are scheduled to meet this Thursday in Abu Dhabi to advance discussions on a comprehensive peace agreement, signaling one of the most promising diplomatic breakthroughs in the South Caucasus in years.
Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev are expected to hold face-to-face talks with the backing of international mediators. The meeting builds on the preliminary peace draft agreed upon earlier this year in March 2025, following intense backchannel negotiations and multilateral diplomacy.
The peace effort aims to formally close the chapter on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, a territorial and ethnic dispute that has plagued the region since the collapse of the Soviet Union. The war of 2020, which resulted in Azerbaijan regaining significant territory, shifted the regional power dynamic and added urgency to a final peace accord.
Despite progress, several contentious issues remain unresolved and will be central to the Abu Dhabi discussions:
Armenia’s Constitution: Azerbaijan is demanding that Armenia revise its constitution, which currently contains references to the rights of the people of Nagorno-Karabakh—phrasing that Baku interprets as a continuing territorial claim. Yerevan has indicated a willingness to consider constitutional changes but insists this must be a sovereign, internal process.
Transport Corridor to Nakhchivan: Azerbaijan continues to push for a secure land route through southern Armenia to connect its western regions to Nakhchivan, its exclave bordering Turkey and Iran. Armenia has expressed concerns over sovereignty and security related to this corridor, particularly if unrestricted control is granted to Azerbaijani forces.
Border Security and Minority Rights: Ongoing border skirmishes and mistrust between communities have hampered efforts to create stable frontiers. Both nations are under pressure to guarantee the rights of minorities, prevent further displacement, and enable the safe return of residents to contested areas.
The Abu Dhabi summit is being closely watched by global powers. The United States, European Union, and Russia each of which has mediated at various stages have voiced support for this new diplomatic push.
Meanwhile, Turkey, a staunch ally of Azerbaijan, has recently adopted a more conciliatory tone, with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan extending diplomatic support to both Baku and Yerevan. During a bilateral meeting in June, Erdoğan encouraged Armenia to continue down the path of peace, raising hopes of a broader regional reconciliation.
The UAE’s hosting of the summit is also symbolic of the expanding role of the Gulf states in global diplomacy, positioning Abu Dhabi as a neutral and influential facilitator of peace in regions beyond its immediate neighborhood.
If successful, the Abu Dhabi summit could lay the groundwork for a formal peace treaty by the end of 2025, ending a conflict that has claimed thousands of lives and displaced many more. Observers say that the commitment of both leaders to personally attend this round signals genuine political will to resolve the impasse.
While deep-rooted grievances remain, the Abu Dhabi meeting represents the clearest step yet toward long-term stability and mutual recognition between Armenia and Azerbaijan. As the world watches, the hope is that dialogue will finally triumph over decades of confrontation.