President Donald Trump's geopolitical instincts helped secure a peace agreement this past week between Armenia and Azerbaijan, ending more than 30 years of conflict, former Trump foreign policy adviser Walid Phares told Newsmax on Sunday.
"One of the matters that is important for this deal was the understanding by President Trump of the geopolitical situation," Phares told Newsmax's "Sunday Report." "Armenia was protected by Russia for many, many years. Its first war with Azerbaijan was in '91, '92 or even before that.
However, when Russia became busy with Ukraine, Armenia lost when fighting with Azerbaijan, leaving it ready for an alliance or at least cooperation with the United States, he added.
"Azerbaijan has a lot of financial interest with the United States, huge gas fields, so on and so forth. So President Trump understood that that was the moment," Phares continued. "By proposing that there will be an American presence, he added another layer. This is a deterrence against the Islamic regime in Iran."
Phares said the deal's speed and scope caught many experts off guard.
"Most experts didn't even expect that this would happen with that speed," he said. "This is like something that the Israelis and the Arabs could use. And hopefully that strategy will be taken to the region."
Phares added that Trump has two advantages in the situation.
"Number one, he has all the information. He has all these parties who are willing to come and negotiate with him," he said. "The second advantage, he can project the next moves of these forces. Of course, the Armenians let go of Russia, as I said earlier. And the Azeris also need the United States because they are confronting the Iranians, a big puzzle. His ability to understand that is what makes those peace deals possible."
Phares also said Trump has been clear with negotiating parties that peace agreements require their commitment after his involvement ends.
Phares also addressed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's comments about entering Gaza to eliminate Hamas.
"There is no other option for Israel, regardless of who the prime minister of Israel [is], you have to finish Hamas. You cannot do a peace deal with Hamas. Some people thought they could. They couldn't because Hamas is also backed by the Islamic regime in Iran."
But once Hamas is gone, "you're going to have the mother of peace deals with the people of Gaza, backed by the Saudis, the Egyptians, the Bahrainis," said Phares. "You're going to have a celebration on top of the Abraham Accord of having resolved that conflict, which is multi‑centuries between Gaza and Israel."
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Sandy Fitzgerald ✉
Sandy Fitzgerald has more than three decades in journalism and serves as a general assignment writer for Newsmax covering news, media, and politics.
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