LONDON — The United Kingdom has hailed the historic progress achieved in the Armenia–Azerbaijan peace process following a landmark trilateral summit in Washington, D.C., hosted by U.S. President Donald Trump on August 8. The summit brought together President Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan and Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan of Armenia, culminating in the initialing of a long-awaited peace agreement and the signing of a joint declaration.
“The UK warmly welcomes the progress made by Armenia and Azerbaijan towards peace,” the statement said. “These developments mark a pivotal moment in efforts to secure lasting peace and stability in the region.”
In recognition of this breakthrough, the UK Government announced its decision to elevate bilateral relations with both Armenia and Azerbaijan to strategic partnerships, formalizing cooperation in trade, security, and defence. These partnerships will be supported by annual ministerial-level meetings to review progress.
From August 24 to 26, UK officials visited both Yerevan and Baku to reaffirm British support for the peace process and discuss practical steps the UK could take to help reinforce long-term stability in the South Caucasus.
In a major policy shift, the UK announced the lifting of its arms embargo on both Armenia and Azerbaijan, first imposed under a 1992 OSCE recommendation during the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. The Government stated that the original rationale for the embargo “has fallen away” in light of the new peace framework.
The lifting of the embargo will allow the UK’s security and defence partnerships with both countries to “evolve in a rapidly changing context,” supporting their sovereignty and territorial integrity in the face of potential threats from state and non-state actors. Export and trade licence applications, however, will continue to be assessed individually against the UK’s Strategic Export Licensing Criteria, ensuring compliance with international law and human rights standards.
British officials underscored that the regional and internal security situations in both Armenia and Azerbaijan will remain under close observation.
“This is a moment of opportunity for peace, security, and prosperity in the South Caucasus,” the statement concluded. “The United Kingdom stands ready to work alongside both nations, as well as the United States, the European Union, and other partners, to support this transformation and strengthen the stability of the wider region.”
