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       Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday hailed US President Donald Trump’s peace efforts following his role in brokering the Armenia-Azerbaijan peace deal.

       A day earlier, Azerbaijan and Armenia signed an initial US-brokered peace agreement during a meeting with Trump, a deal aimed at boosting economic ties between the two countries after decades of conflict.

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       “Pakistan welcomes the historic peace agreement signed between the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Republic of Armenia at the White House Summit under the auspices of US President Donald J Trump,” the premier wrote in a statement on X.

       He congratulated both countries on “charting a course for a peaceful future for their region”, stating: “Pakistan has always stood by the brotherly nation of Azerbaijan and we stand with them at this proud moment of their history.”

       PM Shehbaz continued: “We also appreciate the facilitation role of the United States, under President Donald Trump, in bringing the two sides together and securing an agreement that opens new avenues for trade, connectivity, and regional integration.”

       “It is our hope that this spirit of dialogue will serve as an example for other regions facing protracted conflicts,” he added.

       He also said that the development marks the “dawn of a new era of peace, stability, and cooperation in the South Caucasus”, which has endured “conflict and human suffering” for decades.

       Deputy PM and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar also appreciated Trump’s role in “facilitating this breakthrough” and congratulated Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov.

       In a post on X, he wrote, “Today marks a truly historic moment as Azerbaijan and Armenia take a decisive step towards resolving a bitter conflict that has lasted for over three decades.

       “May this milestone pave the way in the Caucasus for a future free of the painful shadows of the past, and one built on peace, stability, and hope,” he added.

       Highest aspiration is to bring peace: Trump

       Separately, Trump said that both countries were “committing to stop all fighting forever, open up commerce, travel and diplomatic relations, and respect each other’s sovereignty and territorial integrity”, while speaking to reporters alongside Azerbaijan’s Aliyev and Armenian PM Nikol Pashinyan.

       Trump said the US signed separate deals with each country to expand cooperation on energy, trade and technology, including artificial intelligence. Details were not released.

       Both leaders praised Trump for helping to end the conflict and said they would nominate him for the Nobel Peace Prize.

       Trump has tried to present himself as a global peacemaker in the first months of his second term. The White House credits him with brokering a ceasefire between Cambodia and Thailand and sealing peace deals between India and Pakistan, and Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

       Following the announcement, Trump stated: “As president, my highest aspiration is to bring peace and stability to the world.”

       “Today’s signing follows our success with India and Pakistan. They were going at it. They were going at it big. And, they were great leaders that came together just prior to what would have been a tremendous conflict, a nuclear conflict probably.”

       Meanwhile, Russia said that the draft peace deal between Armenia and Azerbaijan was “positive” and that it hoped it would contribute to the peace in the Caucasus region bordering it.

       “The meeting of the leaders of the South Caucasus republics in Washington, mediated by the American side, deserves a positive assessment. We hope that this step will help advance the peace agenda,” foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said.

       Trump has repeatedly claimed — in contrast to India’s stance — that US intervention prevented a “bad nuclear war” between India and Pakistan following their most intense military confrontation in decades.

       Tensions between the two countries escalated after the Pahalgam attack in occupied Kashmir, which saw the killing of 26 tourists. New Delhi, without any evidence, blamed Islamabad for the attack, while the latter strongly denied the claims and offered a neutral probe. The two nations then fought a four-day conflict before a ceasefire on May 10.