The Second Karabakh War ended with Azerbaijan’s victory and the full restoration of its territorial integrity and sovereignty. This significant victory was not only a military success but also meant the restoration of international law and the principles adopted by the United Nations. From that stage onward, the peace and cooperation agenda came to the forefront to ensure lasting stability and security in the region.
Against the background of long-standing tense relations between Azerbaijan and Armenia, the main goal in the post-war period has been the signing of a comprehensive peace agreement between the two countries and the promotion of the normalization process. As a result of the negotiations on the peace agenda, agreement has been reached on almost all issues. However, a few contentious points still show that there are differences of opinion between the parties. Discussions on these issues continue between the leaders and other officials of both countries.
Tirana meeting: A significant step toward the peace agenda
The most recent of such meetings took place on May 16, 2025, in Tirana, the capital of Albania. Within the framework of the 6th summit of the “European Political Community,” a meeting between Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan was held and was considered a landmark event in terms of advancing the peace agenda in the region.
During the meeting, the parties exchanged views on key unresolved issues, particularly the provisions in the Armenian Constitution that allow for territorial claims against Azerbaijan and the delimitation of borders.
Deputy Foreign Minister of Armenia Vahan Kostanyan described the meeting as constructive, stating that both leaders are ready to continue the talks.
Change for the sake of peace
A few days after the meeting in Tirana, Armenian Prime Minister Pashinyan initiated a constitutional amendment proposal. Speaking at the “Irevan Dialogue 2025” conference held today, he emphasized that it is necessary to submit the peace agreement to the Constitutional Court, and if the document is not deemed compliant with Armenian law, he is prepared to promote constitutional amendments: “The opportunity for peace must not be lost, and for that, I will propose changes to the Constitution.”
At the same time, Pashinyan expressed optimism about the prospects for peace in the region, stating that there will be no new war between Armenia and Azerbaijan: “Despite all disputes, provocations, and other incidents, there will be no war between Armenia and Azerbaijan. There will be peace, and that seems clear to me.”
Political consensus is forming, but what does society say?
It should be noted that after the war, Azerbaijan was the first to take the initiative for peace. Official Baku demonstrated its willingness to sign a peace agreement with Armenia and put forward principles of peace. The peace negotiations between the two countries were primarily conducted based on the principles proposed by Azerbaijan, and as both sides have stated, the agreement has already been reached. Only one or two fundamental issues remain, and contacts and discussions continue to reach an agreement on them.
The intensive negotiations between the leaders of the two countries once again confirm that Azerbaijan and Armenia are demonstrating political will toward the signing of a peace agreement. This process is of vital importance for ensuring regional stability and security.
However, for any political agreement to be sustainable and lasting, the support of societies plays a decisive role. From this perspective, a key question arises: To what extent are the societies of Azerbaijan and Armenia, ordinary people, ready for peace, reconciliation, and neighborly relations?
To examine the public mood in both countries, Anews.Az TV conducted street interviews in the cities of Baku and Irevan. These surveys can be considered an important socio-political indicator of the people’s approach to the peace agenda and their attitude toward the process.
We present the survey:
Rita (Irevan): There can be no peace — it’s just a fake thought. They’re deceiving people — real peace happens elsewhere. But what we’re seeing now — this isn’t peace. It’s a delusion. AnewZ, you said?
Nazik (Irevan): To me, all nations are nations. But everything has its limits. When something doesn’t belong to you, it simply doesn’t. I believe every person should have dignity, honour, and a sense of measure. If something isn’t mine and I take it, then I’m a thief; it’s that simple. I don’t want to label anyone. I can’t say I view Azerbaijanis with hostility, but I can’t say there’s warmth either. I don’t want death. No form of killing. I don’t want war. I want people to understand the truth that, before God, we are all equal. Today, you can’t take a life over a small piece of land, or go around disturbing graves, and so on. I’m not against them living, but let them take only what is rightfully theirs, not what isn’t. I hope you understand me. I even remember when I was little, Azerbaijanis used to live in Armenia. They used to sell huge watermelons. I even have a photo with them — they sat me on one and we took a picture together. I can’t deny it — there were many good people. We had Azerbaijani neighbours. But nowadays, no one is safe. Even good people can get swept away — and things might repeat again.
Citizen (Baku): They’ve left such deep wounds — they’re etched into our memory. I mean, emotionally speaking, if we think spiritually. I think from a political perspective, it's probably a good thing. But if we reflect on our own values on a moral level, the pain they made us endure has left very deep scars, I believe.
Citizen (Irevan): No, unfortunately, I don’t believe we can reconcile with Azerbaijan. Even though today’s government may be trying to move in that direction, I don’t think our nation — a nation with pride and dignity — will follow along. As for what’s ahead, only God knows.
Citizen (Irevan): I don’t know — it requires thought. But every problem has a solution. Let those who are clever think it through — they’ll definitely find a way.
Citizen (Irevan): We love peace — we’re the ones proposing peace. But Azerbaijan is proposing war. Let’s be honest — they’re trying to push us into a situation where, if peace doesn’t work, there will be war.
Citizen (Irevan): War is never good. Something could happen tomorrow — war could break out again, new problems could arise. It might not turn out well — that’s the main concern. For both Armenia and Azerbaijan, it wouldn’t be good.
Citizen (Irevan): Well, Azerbaijanis used to live here too, back when people lived peacefully. But so much has been ruined, now it’s no longer possible. That’s my opinion. It won’t work out — what more can I say? It simply won’t work. I don’t know. Look how close the Russians were with Ukrainians, or Belarusians — and even with them, it doesn’t work anymore. There’s been killing. They’ve done terrible things to each other. How can it possibly work now? So many captives.
Citizen (Irevan): It’s difficult. Living together with them is emotionally very hard. We can’t fully move on and act like nothing happened.
Vugar Babayev (Baku): I suppose if a peace agreement is signed, that would be good. At least there would be no more war, and there would be stability. We all live in Azerbaijan — we have a beautiful country. Everything will be fine, God willing.
Citizen (Baku): This would be a very important step for both sides, I believe. It would be significant — for them, and for us too.
Citizen (Irevan) + Citizen (Irevan – in italics): We’re hopeful — we’re holding on to hope that things will turn out well. Peace with Azerbaijan? Achieving peace will be very difficult. It likely won’t happen. Or maybe it will. It might still happen — who knows? If we don’t give up any land, and everything stays the same, that would be great. But if we have to give up territory and hand it over to the Turks, then that’s not peace for us. As long as we hold on to this land, peace might still be possible. But what about what they’ve already taken? No, they’re unlikely to give that back. As long as we keep this land and agree to peace, then peace has meaning. There is nothing better than peace.
Khachatur Armenakyan (Irevan): We all need peace. In 30 years, both Armenians and Azerbaijanis will ask themselves — why did we go to war, why did we die, what was it all for? There are many questions in this matter, and you can go deeper and deeper and deeper. War is a terrible thing. We must understand the root of the war and how to end it. We’re neighbours — we need to live together. Neither we nor the Azerbaijanis are going anywhere.
Citizen (Irevan): Peace is a complex process. Just saying “let’s sign tomorrow and there’ll be peace” — that’s far from reality. We’ll live and see. I’m waiting and hoping.
Citizen (Baku): I think it’s wonderful, and I truly believe that this will be something positive for Azerbaijan’s future. Geographically, they’re a neighbouring country. It’s probably best to end the war.
Naira (Irevan): Of course, our government is striving for peace. If they can reach an agreement with Azerbaijan, they will sign a peace treaty. But only if Aliyev also agrees — and if the terms are acceptable to both sides.
Anri (Irevan): There’s no way to imagine peace—not in any form. Conflict has always existed, it exists now, and it will continue to exist. It will always be there. Hostility is eternal — it will always exist, always. That’s a fact.
Astghik (Irevan): I don’t see any possibility of peace with Azerbaijan — not in principle. Because Azerbaijan is essentially Türkiye, and Türkiye’s aim is to restore the Turan, an empire stretching from the Urals to the Altai. And to get there, they must go through Armenia. So Armenia — and Armenians — are, by their very existence, an obstacle to them.
Marat (Irevan): We’re neighbours — and we should live like neighbours. That’s what I believe. We may have been enemies for many years, and we may see things differently, but still... we have to find a way to be neighbours again. That’s just my opinion — that’s how I see it. I believe it’s the right thing.
Citizen (Irevan): I don’t feel positive about it — the situation is a mess. And I will never, ever accept Azerbaijan — even if they say they want to live together in harmony. Because they don’t even know what harmony means.
Almaz Nuriyeva (Baku): As a mother, I wouldn’t give anything up. As a mother, I wouldn’t give in — but there is a future, there is a new generation. Time will show.
Dima (Irevan): For now, I suppose it's not as aggressive as it was five or maybe ten years ago. I’ve seen a lot of videos with Pashinyan and Aliyev, where they’re drinking coffee and talking peacefully, I suppose. But I don't know about... But for now, I suppose it’s not as aggressive as it used to be.
Aram (Irevan): There was a time people lived peacefully together, and I think they still could. But now there’s always some excuse — no one is willing to compromise. Neither side wants to give in — that’s the problem, I think. Still, after everything, I feel peace is becoming harder and harder to reach.
Citizen (Irevan): Peace? There will be no peace. There can be no peace with the Turks. No peace with the Turks or Azerbaijanis. Never. Never. There will be no peace.
Lernik (Irevan): Peace is something we all need — both Armenia and Azerbaijan. And I hope that a peace agreement will be reached. War is not good — it benefits no one. We’ve seen the consequences of war, and so have all the republics. Take Russia and Ukraine — look at that war, and what it’s brought. So, peace is the right path. An agreement needs to be signed — a peace agreement.
Baba Masimov (Baku): Thirty years ago, [Armenia] occupied Azerbaijani lands, and under the UN Charter, we had the right to liberate our territories — and we did. But you know, in history, the victorious side is rarely the one pushing for peace. But perhaps Azerbaijan is unique in this regard — it was the first to come forward with a peace initiative, saying: Our territory is now whole, our sovereignty and territorial integrity are restored. Let’s now talk about peace. And it’s quite strange that Armenia keeps trying to delay the peace process with all kinds of excuses. Of course, they can’t openly say “we don’t want peace.” That’s not something they can admit. But they are trying to stall the peace process. But there comes a moment when you hit a dead end — that time will come. Now Armenia is stuck, and all of Azerbaijan’s conditions — none of which are unlawful — they all comply with the UN Charter, and are fully legitimate. Yet Armenia’s constitution still contains territorial claims against us. And then there’s that group which never functioned anyway — some pointless, ineffective European group… I can’t even remember the name because they did so little — the Minsk Group, yes, the Minsk Group. If there is no longer a conflict, then the Minsk Group’s role is completely unnecessary. It was always just a formality — but now, de facto, it should be dissolved.
The results of the survey show that while some believe the heavy legacy of the past hinders peace, others are hopeful that a new chapter can be opened for the future.
Years of conflict, losses, and mutual distrust now stand as serious obstacles to peace. Will it be possible to overcome these barriers? Only time will tell.
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