French MFA issues statement marking anniversary of Washington summit

France’s Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs has issued a statement marking the anniversary of the Washington summit, highlighting what it described as significant steps taken by Azerbaijan and Armenia over the past year, AzerNEWS reports.

The statement was published on the ministry’s official website.

The French Foreign Ministry said the authorities of both countries had taken “important and courageous steps” over the past year to turn peace into a tangible reality for their populations.

“Over the past year, the authorities of both countries have taken important and courageous steps to make peace a tangible reality for their peoples,” the ministry said.

France expressed hope that the process would continue with the signing and ratification of a peace agreement between Armenia and Azerbaijan, the reopening of borders and the development of regional connectivity.

According to the statement, these steps could help transform the South Caucasus into a zone of comprehensive cooperation and strengthen its role as a link between Europe and Asia.

“France, together with its European partners, will continue to actively contribute to this process, with full respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Armenia and Azerbaijan,” the statement added.

It is important noting that an August 8, 2025, following a trilateral meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump in Washington, President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev and Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan signed a joint declaration on establishing peace between Baku and Yerevan and restoring transport connectivity between mainland Azerbaijan and the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic. The initiative was named the "Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity."

As part of the meeting, Azerbaijan's Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov and Armenia's Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan initialed the draft "Agreement on the Establishment of Peace and Interstate Relations between the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Republic of Armenia" and signed a joint appeal by the foreign ministers of Azerbaijan and Armenia to the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office calling for the termination of the OSCE Minsk Process, the mandate of the Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office on the conflict dealt with by the Minsk Conference, and the High-Level Planning Group.