Breaking
The State Department has published its 2024 Human Rights Report on Azerbaijan. The report cites evidence of arbitrary killings, unlawful detentions, torture, transnational repression, and a ‘methodically implemented strategy to empty Nagorno-Karabakh of its ethnic Armenian population,’ echoing findings from the United Nations and Freedom House. It also documents that 23 ethnic Armenians, including eight Nagorno-Karabakh officials, remain in Azerbaijani custody where they face cruel, inhumane, and degrading treatment and lack due process.
UN Committee Against Torture Accepts Center for Truth & Justice Complaint on Behalf of Armenian POWs
One of the 15 individual complaints the Center for Truth & Justice (CFTJ) submitted to the United Nations Committee Against Torture (CAT) on behalf of Armenian POWs in April of this year was officially accepted and registered today, as confirmed in correspondence to CFTJ Armenia’s supervising attorney. CAT is the UN body responsible for monitoring states’ compliance with the Convention Against Torture, a treaty that prohibits torture and other cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment.
Congressman Brad Sherman Opposes Weapons Transfers to Azerbaijan, Demands Immediate Release of Armenian POWs
Congressman Brad Sherman (CA-32), senior Member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee and Vice Chair of the Congressional Armenia Caucus, opposes any possible weapons transfers to Azerbaijan.
- Calls on Azerbaijan to release all Armenian prisoners of war (POWs) immediately and unconditionally.
- Emphasizes that Azerbaijan must be held accountable for its aggression.
- States that the U.S. should not lift the Section 907 prohibition on military assistance to Azerbaijan.
- Highlights that Azerbaijani troops continue to unlawfully hold Armenian POWs, reinforcing the urgent need for their release.
Azerbaijani Forces Open Fire on Excavator Near Verishen in Syunik Province
Just days before the U.S.-brokered peace framework, Azerbaijan again engages in military aggression against Armenia, underscoring the need for real consequences if the Aliyev regime continues to engage in aggression.
World Reacts to Landmark Peace Declaration Between Armenia and Azerbaijan
Congressional Armenian Caucus Co-Chair Gus Bilirakis Notes Armenia-Azerbaijan Historic Peace Declaration
Congressman Gus Bilirakis, Co-Chair of the Congressional Caucus on Armenian Issues, welcomed the signing of a historic peace declaration between Armenia and Azerbaijan, marking the formal end to decades of conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh.
Canada Alone in G7 with Call for Prisoner Release as Armenia, Azerbaijan in Peace Talks
Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand welcomed progress toward peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan following a White House-brokered meeting but called for the release of all Armenian detainees, safe return of displaced civilians, and preservation of cultural heritage.
NATO Welcomes Progress Towards Peace Between Armenia and Azerbaijan, Thanks U.S. President for Role
CSI Urges President Trump to Back Swiss Peace Plan and Demand Release of Political Prisoners and POWs Amid Armenia-Azerbaijan Talks
Christian Solidarity International (CSI) is calling on President Trump to support the Swiss Peace Initiative for Nagorno- Karabakh and to ensure the release of political prisoners and POWs. In a statement, CSI’s international president Dr. John Eibner expressed hope that the expected peace treaty “will contribute to lasting peace for all the peoples of this region, unlike previous peace agreements signed and then violated by Azerbaijan.”
Pope Leo Hails Armenia-Azerbaijan Peace Deal as a Beacon of Hope
During the Sunday Angelus, Pope Leo made a heartfelt appeal to global leaders to take responsibility for resolving conflicts worldwide. He expressed his satisfaction with the recent peace declaration between Armenia and Azerbaijan, signed on August 8 by Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev. The Pope called the joint declaration “a significant step forward” and “a sign of hope” for lasting stability in the South Caucasus.
Council of Europe Secretary General Alain Berset Welcomes Armenia-Azerbaijan Peace Agreement as Historic Milestone
Alain Berset, Secretary General of the Council of Europe, praised the initialing of the Armenia-Azerbaijan peace agreement in Washington, DC, calling it a “historic milestone” toward lasting peace in the South Caucasus.
EU Hails Armenia-Azerbaijan Peace Breakthrough, Commends U.S. Role and Urges Swift Implementation
The European Union, through a statement by its High Representative, hailed agreements between Prime Minister Pashinyan and President Aliyev as a decisive step towards ending decades of conflict.
EU’s Costa and von der Leyen Welcome Armenia- Azerbaijan Peace Breakthrough, Urge Timely Implementation
European Council President Antonio Costa, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, and the EU High Representative hailed the signing of the Political Declaration by Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev — in the presence of U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House — as a historic step towards ending decades of conflict.
Driven by Fear from Nagorno-Karabakh
‘Open wound’ of Artsakh Armenians Forgotten in Peace Framework
“After going through four wars, a blockade and forced displacement peace cannot be just empty words on paper. The agreement completely ignores those of us who fled Artsakh in 2023. There is not a single mention of our fate..We feel invisible and unheard. How can there be a peace deal when our people remain hostages in Azerbaijan? True peace means recognizing us, acknowledging our suffering and guaranteeing our safe return to our homeland.”
IRFR Witnesses the Impact of Ethnic Cleansing on Armenian Christians
Nadine Maenza of the International Religious Freedom Roundtable (IRFR) visited the Lachin Corridor on the Armenia-Azerbaijan border, witnessing the aftermath of Azerbaijan’s blockade and military assault that forced 120,000 Armenian Christians to flee their ancestral homeland. She highlights ongoing aggression, calls for international action to support Armenia and Artsakh residents, and urges the release of all Armenian prisoners held by Azerbaijan.
Armenian Hostages Face Growing Peril as ICRC Leaves Baku and Trials Continue Behind Closed Doors
The situation of 23 Armenian hostages in Azerbaijan has become increasingly precarious, with the International Committee of the Red Cross, the only body granted access to the detainees, set to close its mission in Baku in early September. Among the prisoners are civilians, POWs, and former Nagorno-Karabakh leaders, many on trial in closed military court proceedings marked by serious due process violations.
Photos of the Week
President Trump, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev signed a joint declaration at the White House on August 8.
Photo Courtesy of The New York Times.
The Prime Minister visits the Museum of the Bible in Washington and presents a copy of Grigory of Narek’s medieval illustrated book.
Photo Courtesy of the Office of the Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia.
From July 14–25, nineteen Armenian Armed Forces NCOs trained alongside the U.S. Kansas Army National Guard during the 9th annual Phoenix Platoon exchange, enhancing skills and strengthening U.S.-Armenia military cooperation.
Photo Courtesy of U.S. Embassy in Yerevan.
Security
Armenia to Host Joint Military Exercise with United States
Service members from the peacekeeping brigade of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Armenia, U.S. Army Europe and Africa, and the Kansas National Guard will participate in the exercise from August 12-20.
The exercise will focus on the preparation and execution of peacekeeping operations with a strong emphasis on medical evacuation procedures.
EU Mission Head Markus Ritter Defends EUMA’s Role in Stabilizing Armenia- Azerbaijan Border Amid Criticism
Head of the European Union Mission in Armenia (EUMA), Markus Ritter welcomed the European Council’s decision to extend until February 2027, emphasizing that the mission’s mandate remains unchanged.
When asked about local perceptions of EUMA, Ritter remarked warmly, “The people like us, and we like them.”
Nagorno-Karabakh and the Collapse of Russia’s Peacekeeping Mission: What Weak Mandates and Absent Guarantees Can Teach Us
By Olesya Vartanyan
The recent failure of Russia’s peacekeeping mission in the South Caucasus underscores the necessity of a clear and robust mandate backed by coalition guarantees and aligned with international principles.
Faith & Culture
Secretary of Security Council Armen Grigoryan Meets with Save Armenia Judeo-Christian Alliance Delegation
Armen Grigoryan, Secretary of the Security Council, met with the Save Armenia Judeo-Christian Alliance delegation to discuss strengthening Armenia–U.S. relations.
Catholicos Karekin II Begins U.S. Visit to Meet Clergy, Philanthropists, and Discuss Church Projects
Education
Ambassador Kvien Engages with Lori Students and U.S. Exchange Alumni at Vanadzor American Corner
New Group of Armenian Students Selected for U.S. FLEX Program 2025-26
Health
Ambassador Kvien Joins Ribbon-Cutting for Advanced Medical Equipment Delivery to Spitak Polyclinic
Ambassador Kvien, alongside Deputy Minister of Health Armen Gasparyan and regional leaders, inaugurated new specialized medical equipment at Spitak Polyclinic. Funded by the U.S. Department of Defense’s humanitarian program, this $130,000 project benefits patients in Lori and Shirak provinces and includes a sensory room for children with autism at the Spitak Rehabilitation Center.
Opinion
Donald Trump Brokers a Peace Plan in the Caucasus
An American-backed deal between Armenia and Azerbaijan could weaken Russia.
The Zangezur Corridor: The Geopolitical Flashpoint You’ve Never Heard Of
By Michael Rubin
If Turkey, Azerbaijan, or Russia can block Armenia’s southern border, they an essentially besiege and starve the country, much as they did Nagorno-Karabakh. While diplomats debate routes, protocols, and even the possible involvement of American contractors, they miss the larger question: Do designated corridors bring peace or encourage war?
If peace is the goal, end the blockade. If trade flows freely, then the whole discussion of corridors becomes moot.
Before Gaza’s Woe, there was Nagorno-Karabakh
By Ishaan Tharoor
Nagorno-Karabakh’s population of ethnic Armenians was expelled in 2023, and the world did nothing to stop it. Gaza may be on track for the same fate.
Armenia-Azerbaijan: Trump Stakes a Claim on Putin’s Former Stronghold
By Marie Jégo
Taking advantage of Moscow’s weakening influence in the Caucasus, the US is establishing its presence in the region with a landmark agreement to create a massive rail, energy and digital corridor built by American private companies.
The Hypocrisy Behind Azerbaijan’s Nagorno- Karabakh Narrative
By Vartan Oskanian
Now that the balance of power has shifted and Azerbaijan controls Nagorno-Karabakh, Baku has abruptly reversed its own long-held positions. Discussions of autonomy, return and rights—once considered legitimate—are now dismissed as threats to peace. What was acceptable for Azerbaijanis is now deemed unacceptable for Armenians.