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Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said his administration will focus on implementing the “Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity” (TRIPP) project as part of its upcoming priorities, stemming from the government’s “Crossroads of Peace” initiative.
“One of the government’s upcoming tasks is the implementation on the ground of the TRIPP project, which stems from the government’s ‘Crossroads of Peace’ project and is one of the important practical outcomes of the Washington summit on August 8, 2025,” Pashinyan said in parliament during debates on the government’s 2026-2031 program.
“The TRIPP project, which will be implemented on the territory of the Republic of Armenia and based on the principles of Armenia’s territorial integrity, sovereignty and jurisdiction, will put an end to the blockade of Armenia,” the prime minister said.
According to Pashinyan, the blockade has already been partially overcome, as since November 2025, Azerbaijan’s railway has been open to imports to Armenia and exports from Armenia via Georgia, while the Akhalkalaki-Kars railway has been open to imports to Armenia and exports from Armenia since May this year.
“Now Türkiye’s roads are also opening to Armenian vehicles via Georgia. The TRIPP project, however, will not only open direct rail connectivity between Armenia and Azerbaijan, including connectivity through Armenian territory between Azerbaijan’s western regions and the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic, but will also open rail connectivity between Armenia’s northern regions and Syunik Province via Nakhchivan, thereby integrating Armenia into the international railway network,” the prime minister stressed.
Pashinyan emphasized that the implementation of the project will also open rail connectivity between the Persian Gulf and the Black Sea through the territories of Iran, Nakhchivan, Armenia and Georgia, which is a landmark change for Iran, Azerbaijan, Armenia and Georgia. According to the prime minister, Armenia will thereby gain rail connectivity with Iran.
“I draw attention to the fact that the Persian Gulf-Black Sea railway has no direct connection with TRIPP, meaning it is not part of that project; its reopening will become one of the important adjacent outcomes of regional unblocking. As for TRIPP’s railway infrastructure itself, it is clear that it will run along the Nrnadzor-Agarak route, along Armenia’s southern border, on the banks of the Araks, following the railway route that existed during Soviet times and is known to all of us. That railway will connect Armenia through Azerbaijan with Russia and Central Asia, and it is clear that enormous volumes of freight will be transported along it, especially from east to west. Those goods will inevitably pass through TRIPP via the Nrnadzor-Agarak railway. It is clear that from Agarak the freight will enter Nakhchivan, and this is where a situation arises for us whose management is of essential importance for Armenia. The situation is as follows: During Soviet times, the railway from Nakhchivan entered Armenia through the Yeraskh settlement in Ararat Province and continued to the Akhurik settlement in Shirak Province, and then entered Türkiye. We now see that international investors, encouraged by the TRIPP project and having a strong appetite for investment, are looking for ways to bypass the Yeraskh-Akhurik railway section. They are looking for a scheme whereby, after entering Nakhchivan via the Nrnadzor-Agarak railway, freight would continue westward not via Armenia’s railway but by bypassing Armenia’s railway. This is a major problem for us, because in such a scenario Armenia would lose significant revenues, investments, potential jobs and development opportunities,” the prime minister said.
According to Pashinyan, those investors, freight carriers, sellers and buyers of goods want to avoid the Yeraskh-Akhurik railway because, although that section of the railway is fully owned by Armenia, it is under the management of Russian Railways, while the complex relations between Russia and the West and the sanctions imposed on Russia are forcing international investors, freight carriers and trade participants to avoid it, consider it a risk and not take the risk of working with infrastructure subject to direct or indirect sanctions restrictions or carrying such a risk.
“They consider working with such infrastructure a risk, especially if we take into account that the largest customers for freight transportation through TRIPP will be countries that have imposed sanctions against Russia,” Pashinyan said.