Armenia and Azerbaijan on Thursday said they had agreed to sign a peace deal after decades of conflict, with Armenia agreeing to surrender its claim over the primarily Armenian-populated Karabakh region.

"Armenia has accepted Azerbaijan's proposals on the two previously unresolved articles of the peace treaty," he said. Armenia's foreign ministry later confirmed that in a statement, saying "negotiations on the draft agreement have been concluded" and "the Peace Agreement is ready for signing".

Armenia and Azerbaijan have been engaged in wars since the late 1980s when Nagorno-Karabakh, an enclave predominantly inhabited by Armenians, seceded from Azerbaijan

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan (left) and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev speak at the BRICS summit in Russia in October 2024. The two sides announced on March 13, 2025, that the text of the peace agreement between them has been finalized, but it is unclear when, or even if, it will be signed. (Photo: Ramil Sitdikov/brics-russia2024.ru)

France's President Emmanuel Macron stands with Uzbekistan's President Shavkat Mirziyoyev during an official welcome ceremony at the Invalides in Paris, France March 12, 2025. LUDOVIC MARIN/Pool via REUTERS/File Photo PARIS (Reuters) - French President Emmanuel Macron said on Thursday that the agreement of peace treaty terms between Armenia and Azerbaijan should open the way for a lasting peace deal in the region.

But hurdles remain. Azerbaijan also said Armenia’s constitution must “eliminate the claims against the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Azerbaijan,” as a prerequisite to allow for the signing of the peace treaty.