'Beautiful thing to see': Trump hails Armenia-Azerbaijan leaders after handshake at Board of Peace event
Times of India
by TOI WORLD DESKFebruary 19, 2026
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US President Donald Trump praised Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev for their historic handshake at a Board of Peace event in Washington. The moment marked the culmination of negotiations aimed at ending decades of hostility between the two nations, with Trump highlighting how the leaders initially seemed hesitant but eventually came together to finalize the agreement. In a video from the event, Trump humorously recounted how he encouraged the leaders to move closer, emphasizing their initial discomfort and eventual success in signing the peace deal.
The conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan centers on the Nagorno-Karabakh region, which has been a source of tension for decades. The two countries have fought over this territory since 1988, with the most recent escalation in 2020 leading to significant casualties and displacement. A Russia-brokered ceasefire in 2020 resulted in peacekeepers being deployed to the region. However, tensions remained high until September 2023, when Azerbaijan regained control of Nagorno-Karabakh through military action, prompting
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Originally published on Times of India on 2/19/2026