Phasinyan: Discourse on the Right of Return for Artsakh Armenians Should Not Continue

To solidify peace, it is necessary to cease discussions on the "right of return of the Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh" and the "right of return of Armenian refugees from Azerbaijan." This is stated in Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan's message on the occasion of August 8.

“Dear people, beloved citizens of the Republic of Armenia,

One year ago, on this day, August 8, 2025, a peace was established between Armenia and Azerbaijan as a result of a trilateral meeting convened in Washington, D.C., at the White House, initiated and attended by President Donald Trump. Now, we refer to the August 8 meeting as the Peace Summit, and the joint declaration adopted there by the presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan, which was also signed by the U.S. President as a witness, is dubbed the Peace Declaration. These names fully express the outcome brought about by August 8, 2025.

The peace established between Armenia and Azerbaijan is visible and significant to everyone. In the parliamentary elections of June 7, 2026, the citizens of Armenia not only voted in favor of peace but also stood up for peace. This, of course, does not mean that we have reached the final stage in the implementation of the peace agenda.

On August 8, 2025, in Washington, the foreign ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan, in the presence of three leaders, initialed the “Agreement on Establishing Peace and Inter-State Relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan,” which is waiting for its signature and ratification. The delimitation between Armenia and Azerbaijan still needs to occur, and we are all very concerned and troubled by our compatriots being held in captivity in Azerbaijan.

However, it is evident that August 8, 2025, is a turning point, and we can divide the history of the Republic of Armenia into before and after this date. Before August 8, 2025, our state was in a deadlock, while after this date, endless prospects have opened up before us, the use of which depends on our collective will, our knowledge, and our ability to learn from the world and our history.

This is where the greatest political and socio-psychological outcome of the Washington Peace Summit lies: the helm of our history is once again in our hands. This does not mean that the road is perfect and without dangers; it means that our decisions are the primary factor determining our future fate, and this is a historic turning point.

The preceding period and the results of the National Assembly elections come to convince us that we can, as a state and people, take charge of our fate, and for this, I want to thank all of you, every one of you, beloved citizens of the Republic of Armenia.

One of the key outcomes of the Washington Peace Summit is the “Trump Path to International Peace and Prosperity” (TRIPP) project, which will not only end Armenia's blockade in the near future but will also become the core of Armenia's and the region's economy, helping Armenia and Azerbaijan to perceive each other not as obstacles but as a pathway, as neighboring states. Soon we will begin the practical implementation of the TRIPP project, and this will become a significant regional and international event.

Dear people, beloved citizens of the Republic of Armenia,

The page of the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict is closed, peace is established, and it is right before your eyes, it is your life and daily reality. Establishing any peace is not easy, and establishing our peace has not been easy either. But breaking down and nullifying any peace is extremely easy, and it can be done very quickly, raising the question of whether it will be possible to establish peace again after 35 years.

Today, many—some intentionally and some inadvertently—are operating under the logic of undermining peace, and this activity is sometimes cloaked under benevolent or 'patriotic' pretenses. I want to state without equivocation: to make peace irreversible, it is essential to cease discourse on the "right of return of the Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh" and the "right of return of Armenian refugees from Azerbaijan," as well as to halt talks in Azerbaijan regarding the “right of return of Western Azerbaijan and Western Azerbaijanis.”

This is an issue that needs to be addressed both in Armenia and Azerbaijan—for the sake of the rights of our generations’ peaceful coexistence. This is the right that we must embody and pursue today, and we should be able to overcome any conflicting discourse surrounding it.

I thank President Trump for his undeniable efforts in achieving this peace. I congratulate the people of Armenia on the occasion of August 8. I congratulate the people of Azerbaijan on August 8 as well.

Finally, we have a day that calms rather than inflames us. And may all the victims of the conflict rest in peace. Never again.

Long live peace,” the message asserts.