As far as we understand, the upcoming meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev is intended to result in the signing of a memorandum, not a full peace treaty, yet undoubtedly within the framework of Armenia-Azerbaijan peace negotiations.

First, we must express our frustration that news of this meeting, and more broadly, of President Trump’s involvement in these negotiations, did not come from Armenia’s leadership but rather from Washington, D.C. This lack of transparency is telling. A leader who rose to power in 2018 promising to consult his people before any negotiations with Azerbaijan now operates in secrecy, informing Armenian society only after the fact.

Second, based on prior experience, we know that whenever Nikol Pashinyan enters negotiations with Azerbaijan, the outcome is always the same: total capitulation to Baku’s demands. We have no reason to believe this time will be different, and we expect nothing beneficial for Armenia. On the contrary, all signs point to yet another disastrous agreement.

If this deal proceeds, it will serve three key beneficiaries: Donald Trump, who will tout himself as a “peacemaker,” using this for political gain; Ilham Aliyev, who will secure his long-sought goals including an extraterritorial corridor through Armenia, the dissolution of the OSCE Minsk Group, changes to Armenia’s Constitution, and ect; and Nikol Pashinyan, who will brand this deal as an “achievement” ahead of elections 2026 while manipulating the Armenian population.

The true cost, however, will be paid by Armenia – in sovereignty, dignity, and national security.

We firmly state: any agreement that fails to include the following in negotiations is unacceptable and constitutes a betrayal of Armenian interests:

• The right of Armenians to collective return to Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) under international guarantees.
• The immediate release of all Armenian hostages and POW held by Azerbaijan.
• Full protection and preservation of Armenian cultural and religious heritage in Artsakh.
• The complete withdrawal of Azerbaijani forces from sovereign Armenian territory.

We see no indication that Pashinyan is fighting for these demands. For him, Artsakh is already a closed chapter. He refuses to speak of the hostages, and his silence speaks volumes as the nation watches in despair.

Furthermore, we are now entering an especially dangerous phase regarding the proposed “Zangezur corridor.”

This project does not merely threaten Armenia’s sovereignty, as it is, in reality, an Azerbaijani land grab disguised as a transit route, directly violating Armenia’s territorial integrity. But also it risks destabilizing the entire region.

Iran has repeatedly warned that such a corridor crosses its red lines, viewing it as both a security threat and an attempt to alter regional geopolitics. Yet reports indicate that Trump may push for the corridor’s management to be handed over to an American company, a blatant provocation against Tehran, which has stated that third-country involvement in the region is unacceptable and could escalate tensions.

The consequences of this corridor would be catastrophic. Armenia would be physically severed from the south, left isolated and vulnerable, while Iran would lose its northern connectivity. The only winners would be the Turkish-Azerbaijani axis with their expansionist ambitions, and potentially American interests gaining a foothold in the region.

This is not mere speculation but an imminent threat to regional stability.

We call upon the Armenian public and the international community to recognize the gravity of this situation. What is being presented as negotiations is, in reality, a surrender disguised as peace. Pashinyan seems willing to sacrifice anything to cling to power, but the Armenian people will pay the price for generations.