Levon Zurabyan, Vice-Chairman of the Armenian National Congress (ANC), criticized the August 8 Washington Declaration on his Facebook page, claiming it reflects an “endless capitulation process” rather than a path to peace.
Zurabyan argued that while the Armenian authorities present the Washington agreements as a triumph, they in fact represent Armenia’s acceptance of all of Azerbaijan’s humiliating terms, with U.S. backing, and yet Baku continues its hostile stance.
“Contrary to what is being presented as established peace, this is merely Armenia’s consent to all of Azerbaijan’s degrading demands and the United States’ declared readiness to facilitate peace on those terms,” he wrote. “But true peace remains distant, as Azerbaijan refuses to sign a final agreement, continues occupying internationally recognized Armenian territory, holds Armenian captives, destroys Artsakh’s cultural heritage, blocks the return of displaced Armenians, and pushes expansionist, anti-Armenian rhetoric.”
Zurabyan emphasized that no binding obligations are placed on Azerbaijan to halt these aggressions.
He further warned that this is not even a single capitulation agreement, but rather a continuous process of surrender, with no end in sight despite Armenia’s repeated concessions.
Zurabyan also criticized the Armenian government’s failure to release the text of three memorandums signed with the U.S., five days after their signing. According to Reuters, one memorandum reportedly grants the U.S. a 99-year lease over Armenian territory for a project dubbed the Trump Route — a term reportedly used by President Donald Trump himself. Zurabyan said this amounts to a limitation of Armenia’s sovereignty, especially given the clause allowing subleasing to private companies.
He blamed the current situation on the “disastrous political decisions” made by Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s administration over the past seven years, stating that the government is now falsely portraying the deal as a victory in order to whitewash its role in Armenia’s national losses.
“This propaganda campaign by the authorities can only be seen as a blatant display of cynicism and deception,” Zurabyan concluded.
On August 8, a joint declaration was signed at the White House during a trilateral meeting between Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, U.S. President Donald Trump, and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev. Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan and Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov also pre-signed a bilateral peace agreement in the presence of the leaders.
