Azerbaijan and Armenia Reach Historic Agreement for Prisoner Exchange and Peace Accord

Azerbaijan and Armenia have agreed to a prisoner exchange, signaling a potential breakthrough in their decades-long conflict over the Nagorno-Karabakh region. Azerbaijan will release 32 prisoners of war to Armenia in exchange for two, and both countries have expressed their intention to normalize relations and work towards a peace treaty. The United States and European Union have welcomed the move, with the US State Department calling it an important confidence-building measure. The breakthrough comes as delegates from both countries attend the COP28 climate talks in Dubai, where Armenia has withdrawn its bid to host the annual UN-backed climate summit next year, hoping for support for Azerbaijan's candidacy.