In a rare moment of diplomatic breakthrough, Armenia and Azerbaijan signed a peace treaty at the White House on August 8, 2025, officially ending the decades-long conflict over the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region.

According to CNA, the agreement includes the creation of a cross-border trade corridor and was brokered with the involvement of U.S. President Donald Trump, marking a turning point in the long-fractured relationship between the two neighboring countries.

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev met in Washington, D.C., to conclude the accord at an official ceremony held at the White House. The meeting marks the highest-level peace engagement between the parties since violent clashes reignited in recent years over the contested Nagorno-Karabakh enclave, a longtime flashpoint in the South Caucasus.

Historic Deal Hopes to End Generations of Enmity

The conflict, which spans decades, centers on the status of Nagorno-Karabakh, a region internationally recognized as part of Azerbaijan but predominantly populated by ethnic Armenians. Several wars and skirmishes have left thousands dead and displaced over a million people since the late 1980s.

Pashinyan described the deal as “opening a chapter of peace” and “laying foundations to a better story than the one we had in the past.” President Aliyev echoed that spirit, calling the moment one of “writing a great new history.”

An important component of the peace agreement is the establishment of a new trade corridor. Officially named the “Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity,” the route seeks to facilitate economic exchange and regional development by connecting Armenia and Azerbaijan through direct transit infrastructure.

Peace Pact Draws Praise Amid Challenges in Other Regions

The announcement comes amid continued concern for peace and religious liberty in other conflict-ridden parts of the world. Just two days earlier, on August 6, the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) released a report detailing an increase in targeted violence against religious minorities in Houthi-controlled regions of Yemen.

According to USCIRF, attacks on religious groups—including Baha’is, Jews, Christians, and Ahmadiyya Muslims—have risen steadily since the October 2023 outbreak of violence in Israel. The report states that "few remaining members of minority faith communities" in northern Yemen have resorted to living in hiding out of fear of persecution.

The commission emphasized the Houthis’ role in escalating “systematic and egregious violations” of religious freedoms and accused the group of imposing strict controls across sectors to suppress religious diversity in a country with historically pluralistic traditions.

Youth Gatherings Bridge Global Catholic Celebrations

Elsewhere in the world, young Catholics in Russia sought to participate in global faith events despite travel restrictions. From July 28 to August 3, about 90 youth from across Russia gathered in Moscow for a parallel event in solidarity with the Vatican’s Jubilee of Youth held in Rome.

Youth from the Moscow Archdiocese and other dioceses processed through the capital, visiting major Catholic churches and concluding the event with evening mass at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception. The pilgrims were led by Bishop Nikolaj Dubinin.

Roman Andreev, head of youth ministry in Moscow, remarked that those gathered “were able to feel like pilgrims of hope and part of the universal Church.” He added that they hoped to return home “with a spark of hope” for their faith communities.

Controversial Art Draws Criticism From European Bishop

In cultural news, a controversial sculpture of U.S. President Donald Trump has sparked outrage among European clergy. The piece, crafted by British artist Mason Storm, depicts Trump in orange prison attire affixed to a white cross and carries an estimated price tag of €20,000, or approximately $23,300.

The sculpture was displayed in Vienna, prompting a strong response from Bishop Hermann Glettler of Innsbruck, Austria. In an interview with Swiss publication kath.ch on August 6, he criticized the work as “simply abnormal.”

Glettler added that there was "nothing to be seen in this that would somehow make sense," describing the artwork as sensationalist and lacking substantive meaning.

Calls for Renewal at African Catholic Congress

Meanwhile, religious leaders and theologians across Africa gathered for the third Pan African Catholic Congress on Theology, Society, and Pastoral Life. Held in Ivory Coast, the event was organized by the Pan-African Catholic Theology and Pastoral Network to promote future-focused spiritual and structural growth.

The Congress was centered on the theme “Journeying Together in Hope as God’s Family.” Discussions urged a reevaluation of both societal and ecclesial roles across the continent, aiming to unite believers in transformative change.

Pope Leo XIV added his voice to the dialogue through a message read aloud by Archbishop Gian Luca Perici, the apostolic nuncio to Malawi and Zambia. The pope greeted Malawi's upcoming national Eucharistic congress as a chance to revive missionary dynamism and deepen community bonds.