Trump Should Influence Aliyev: American Expert on Armenian Prisoners

The President of the United States, Donald Trump, should convince Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev to release the 19 Armenian prisoners. This was stated in an article by American expert Darren Spink on political risks and international trade, published in The Washington Times.

According to the author, the release of the prisoners would encourage Armenian authorities to advance the peace agreement. The expert is confident that the Armenians will not consider the peace treaty final as long as their relatives are awaiting release.

As noted by Spink, U.S. allies and partners, including Canada and France, have also raised this issue and demanded the release of Armenians held in Baku. He specifically cited statements from European high-ranking officials who indicated that releasing the prisoners would be an act of goodwill and would contribute to sustainable peace.

The author of the article believes that Trump has certain leverage. “He needs to persuade Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev to release the 19 Armenian prisoners as a humanitarian gesture by Azerbaijan and a manifestation of a commitment to reconciliation,” the author notes.

The expert is convinced that the TRIPP project could open new commercial avenues, and the release of the prisoners would ensure the humanitarian basis of the agreement. If Trump manages to achieve both, he will strengthen the long-term impact of the agreement.

It is noteworthy that, according to official data, there are 19 Armenian prisoners in Azerbaijan. The trial concerning the former military-political leaders of Artsakh, which began in Baku in January 2025, concluded on February 5 of this year, with sentences announced: former President of the Republic of Artsakh Arayik Harutyunyan, former Speaker of Parliament Davit Ishkhanyan, former Commanders of the Armed Forces Levon Mnatsakanyan, and former Deputy Commander Davit Manukyan were sentenced to life imprisonment. Former Presidents of Artsakh Arkadi Ghukasyan and Bako Sahakyan were sentenced to 20 years in prison.