US-Azerbaijan Peace Anniversary Diplomacy: President Ilham Aliyev and U.S. President Donald Trump held a friendly call lasting over 40 minutes on Aug. 8, reviewing progress since the Washington Peace Summit, including the Azerbaijan-Armenia peace process, TRIPP implementation, and strategic partnership; both sides also highlighted improved trade links, including Azerbaijani petroleum exports to Armenia and cargo transit through Azerbaijan. Azerbaijan Letter to Trump: Aliyev sent Trump a formal letter marking the first anniversary, crediting the White House Joint Declaration and the TRIPP project for opening a new chapter for transport connectivity and multilateral economic cooperation. TRIPP Gets US Funding Push: U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced the Trans-Caspian Enterprise Fund is now operational with $201M in U.S. government funding to spur private investment along the Middle Corridor, as TRIPP engineering work advances. Armenia’s TRIPP Timing Signals: Armenian PM Nikol Pashinyan said practical TRIPP implementation will begin soon and discussed trade and transit benefits with Aliyev in separate calls. Tourism Demand Picks Up: Azerbaijan reported a 29.5% rise in one-day visitors in Jan–Jun, with most using the country for transit and spending heavily on transport services. Energy Cooperation Angle: Turkey’s energy minister said Ankara is ready to expand projects in Azerbaijan’s oil and gas fields, including long-term gas supply plans starting in 2029.