More than a month has passed since the so-called Armenia–Azerbaijan peace agreement was preliminarily signed in Washington, D.C., in a deal brokered by the United States. Yet, the obsessive idea of war continues to haunt the militant leader of the neighboring country. The deal, which offers Armenia no real peace dividend and does not necessarily end the conflict with Azerbaijan, includes a provision for a major transit corridor linking Azerbaijan to Nakhichevan, with the United States securing development rights to the corridor. The creation of this corridor would reopen key transportation routes, allowing the U.S. to capitalize on Russia’s declining influence in the region. Ilham Aliyev is openly preparing for war, even though prevailing expert and public opinion in Armenia rules out the likelihood of large-scale military operations—at least until the summer of 2026, when the political realignments shaped by the upcoming parliamentary elections in June will crystallize.

Of course, this does not mean that the Absheron sultan, who harbors treacherous and far-reaching ambitions toward Armenia, will abandon the idea of provoking war—especially if circumstances turn in his favor. It is evident that after the tripartite agreements in Washington on August 8, Aliyev has neither softened his stance toward Yerevan nor toned down his aggressive rhetoric steeped in anti-Armenian xenophobia and racism. He does not act like a statesman committed to peace; Ilham Aliyev is, by nature, a warmonger—vindictive, brazen, and boastful. Moreover, when speaking about Armenia, he constantly hurls threats, shaking his fist in the air.

The president of Azerbaijan repeatedly interferes in Armenia’s internal affairs. How many times has he demanded amendments to Armenia’s Constitution and Declaration of Independence, calling them major obstacles to signing the peace agreement? Meanwhile, he remains silent about his own country’s Constitution, which contains explicit territorial claims against Armenia. Instead, he presents countless demands to the Armenian side—from dissolving the OSCE Minsk Group to returning weapons purchased for its army—because, according to him, these hinder peace efforts.

Nonetheless here is a question for Aliyev. Don’t the years-long illegal imprisonment of Armenian captives in Baku, the hostage-taking and fabricated trials of Artsakh’s former political and military leaders, the refusal to withdraw Azerbaijani troops from Armenia’s sovereign territories, and the false “Western Azerbaijan” concept—which is an open encroachment on Armenia’s territorial integrity—stand in the way of establishing peace? These are only a few examples, yet they are enough to conclude that under such circumstances, speaking of real peace is meaningless. After all, the same person who co-signed the so-called peace document in Washington declared just days later: “We must be ready for war at any moment.”

In his August 21 speech, the Baku dictator stressed the importance of strengthening the country’s military power and ensuring its security, boasting: “The most modern unmanned aerial vehicles and new artillery systems have been brought to our country. Contracts have now been signed for new combat aircraft, while the existing fleet has been fully modernized.” Ironically, on the very same day in Yerevan, during a briefing with journalists, Pashinyan spoke about the security situation and stated: “I think that in our 2026 state budget, we will probably have no substantial increase in defense expenditures—or no increase at all.”

While Pashinyan, relying on the so-called “peace paper,” sees no need to boost defense spending in 2026, Azerbaijan officially announces the completion of registration for more than 100,000 so-called “Western Azerbaijanis” to be resettled in Armenia. In other words, the authorities in Baku are simultaneously advancing the “Western Azerbaijan” program, which encompasses the entire territory of the Republic of Armenia. The ultimate aim of this program is the complete annexation of Armenia through a radical change in its demographic composition.

It is an insult to the world when the leader of a state barely 100–150 years old—who cannot be called ignorant—tries to convince others that Armenia, with at least six millennia of history, was founded on Azerbaijani lands, and not the other way around. Even shamelessness should have its limits.

“Hayatsk Yerevanits” journal