Aram I calls on Trump to achieve release of Armenian POWs held in Azerbaijan, ensure peace

Catholicos Aram I of the Great House of Cilicia has asked U.S. President Donald Trump to take action and achieve the release of Armenian prisoners unlawfully held in Azerbaijan, the Armenian Catholicosate of the Great House of Cilicia has said. 

In a letter congratulating Trump on his return to the White House, Aram I called on the U.S. President to reaffirm his campaigning stance regarding the Nagorno-Karabakh Armenians’ right to return.

Aram I emphasized the need for a strong U.S. leadership to ensure regional peace, stressing that President Trump’s involvement in the matter will strengthen his role as a global peacemaker.

The Catholicos highlighted the protection of U.S. interests in holding Azerbaijan to account for violating international law, warning that continuous inaction could lead to further aggression against Armenians.

The release of prisoners and the acknowledgment of the rights of Karabakh Armenians are important steps for establishing fair and lasting peace, Aram I said.

Aram I thanked Trump for the obligations he assumed in the past and urged his administration to take decisive actions in these matters.

On November 1, 2024, Trump, the then-Republican candidate for the U.S. presidency, called Aram I to express support for Nagorno-Karabakh Armenians, reiterating their right to return through international guarantees and condemning the ethnic cleansing perpetrated by Azerbaijan.