US President Donald Trumpโs push for the Nobel Peace Prize gained fresh momentum on Friday after Azerbaijan and Armenia jointly endorsed his candidacy. The announcement came moments after the two long-time Caucasus rivals signed a peace accord at the White House in Trumpโs presence, aiming to end decades of hostility.
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev proposed sending a joint nomination with Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan to the Nobel committee. โMaybe we agreeโฆ to send a joint appeal to award President Trump with the Nobel Peace Prize,โ Aliyev said during the ceremony. Pashinyan echoed the sentiment, stating, โI think President Trump deserves to have the Nobel Peace Prize and we will defend that, and we will promote that.โ
With this, the number of countries supporting Trumpโs Nobel bid has risen to five. Earlier endorsements came from Pakistan, Israel, and Cambodia. Pakistanโs backing followed Trumpโs claims of brokering a ceasefire between Islamabad and New Delhi, though India denied his involvement. Israelโs Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu presented Trump with a formal letter to the Nobel committee during a Washington visit, while Cambodiaโs support came after the US mediated a ceasefire between Cambodia and Thailand.
Fridayโs peace accord between Armenia and Azerbaijan marks the latest in a series of diplomatic deals Trump has facilitated, further fueling his supportersโ calls for international recognition.