Armenia and Azerbaijan Take Steps Towards Peace; Two Countries Exchange Prisoners of War

Armenia and Azerbaijan exchanged prisoners of war on Wednesday as part of their efforts to reach a lasting peace treaty, following their agreement from last week; a move that the European Union welcomed as a "significant step" towards peace in the region. According to the Associated Press, two Azerbaijani soldiers and 32 Armenian soldiers were exchanged. This agreement aligns with the two countries' efforts to normalize relations and finalize a peace treaty based on principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity. Baku and Yerevan, while committing to further confidence-building, are seeking international support for the current peace process. Charles Michel, President of the European Council, praised this agreement as a major advancement and expressed his welcome for the agreement on the release of prisoners of war and the creation of "unprecedented openness in political dialogue" through a post on social media platform X. He also called for the swift finalization of the peace treaty. Following the collapse of the Soviet Union, the First Nagorno-Karabakh War (1988-1994) broke out between Armenians and their Azerbaijani neighbors, resulting in approximately 30,000 deaths and over one million displaced persons. Azerbaijan lost part of its territory, while Armenians gained control over much of the Nagorno-Karabakh region. In 2020, after decades of conflict, Azerbaijan launched a military operation that led to the Second Nagorno-Karabakh War, during which Baku quickly advanced past Armenian defensive positions. Azerbaijan achieved a significant victory in the 44-day war with Turkish support, regaining parts of Nagorno-Karabakh. The United States has expressed support for Armenia while emphasizing the need to maintain Armenia's independence and territorial integrity in light of Azerbaijan's military actions in the mountainous Karabakh region. Armenia's envoy to the European Union called for "decisive action" from the West against Azerbaijan. Azerbaijan abandoned its plan for a land corridor through Armenia, while Aliyev raised the Azerbaijani flag in mountainous Karabakh. Armenia has urged the United Nations to prevent Azerbaijan from carrying out "ethnic cleansing" of Armenians.