{"id":29833,"date":"2025-06-21T00:12:03","date_gmt":"2025-06-20T21:12:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ir-ia.com\/news\/?p=29833"},"modified":"2025-06-21T00:12:05","modified_gmt":"2025-06-20T21:12:05","slug":"armenian-prime-minister-pashinyan-makes-first-ever-visit-to-turkiye-in-attempt-to-normalize-relations","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ir-ia.com\/news\/armenian-prime-minister-pashinyan-makes-first-ever-visit-to-turkiye-in-attempt-to-normalize-relations\/","title":{"rendered":"Armenian Prime Minister Pashinyan makes first-ever visit to Turkiye in attempt to normalize relations"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

4 minute read<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan arrived in Istanbul on June 20, 2025, for a working visit to meet Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The highly symbolic encounter, held at the historic Dolmabahce Palace, marks one of the highest-level contacts between Armenia and Turkey since their relations collapsed in the early 1990s.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pashinyan, who described the trip as a “historic” step, noted that he and Erdogan discussed the normalization process of bilateral relations and shared perspectives on broader regional development. \u201cThe parties also exchanged views on regional development issues and emphasized the importance of sustainable dialogue,\u201d Pashinyan wrote on X.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The face-to-face meeting between the two leaders marked a cautious yet meaningful attempt to re-engage after decades of diplomatic freeze and mutual suspicion. Pashinyan\u2019s spokesperson, Nazeli Baghdasaryan, confirmed on Facebook that the visit was taking place at Erdogan\u2019s invitation, a gesture that underlines the recent thaw in relations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n


A history of hostility<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Armenia and Turkey share a long and troubled history. The two nations have never established formal diplomatic relations, and their shared border has been sealed since 1993, following Turkey\u2019s support for Azerbaijan during the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the heart of the discord is the killing of Armenians in the Ottoman Empire during World War I, which Yerevan and many international scholars recognize as a genocide. Ankara, however, disputes the label, maintaining that the deaths occurred in the context of a civil conflict, not a premeditated campaign of extermination.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The lack of consensus on this issue has long been a major stumbling block to reconciliation. Furthermore, Turkey\u2019s unwavering support for Azerbaijan, especially during the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh war, has exacerbated tensions with Armenia.<\/p>\n\n\n

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In this photo, an Armenian soldier fires an artillery piece during fighting with Azerbaijan\u2019s forces in the Nagorno-Karabakh region in Azerbaijan. (Image Credit: Press office of Armenian Defense Ministry\/via AP)<\/sup><\/em>

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Peace efforts and geopolitical context<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Despite the fraught history, recent regional developments have provided a narrow window of opportunity for engagement. An official from Armenia\u2019s Foreign Ministry told the press that the leaders discussed efforts to finalize a comprehensive peace treaty, as well as regional security concerns, including the ongoing instability resulting from the Iran-Israel conflict.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The timing of the visit is especially significant. Just a day before Pashinyan\u2019s arrival, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev was also in Turkey for talks with Erdogan. During their meeting, Aliyev hailed the Turkish-Azerbaijani partnership as \u201ca significant factor, not only regionally but also globally.\u201d Erdogan, for his part, reiterated Turkey\u2019s commitment to \u201cthe establishment of peace between Azerbaijan and Armenia.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Baku and Yerevan reached a preliminary agreement on the text of a peace deal in March 2025. However, the final signing has been delayed amid new conditions set by Azerbaijan, including calls for amendments to Armenia\u2019s constitution, which Baku views as incompatible with the peace process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The presence of both Armenian and Azerbaijani leaders in Turkey within such a short timeframe has raised speculation that Ankara could be positioning itself as a mediator in the long-awaited peace process, or at least as a bridge for facilitating confidence-building measures between its two estranged neighbors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Had in-depth exchange with President @RTErdogan<\/a> in Istanbul. Discussed the Armenia\u2013T\u00fcrkiye normalization process, regional developments, and the importance of sustained dialogue.

Armenia remains committed to building peace and stability in our region. pic.twitter.com\/6tytLWMfzB<\/a><\/p>— Nikol Pashinyan (@NikolPashinyan) June 20, 2025<\/a><\/blockquote>