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Lawmakers in the Armenian parliament began debating a bill on October 27 to ratify the Framework Agreement between the Republic of Armenia and the United States of America on Strategic Cooperation Concerning the Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity (TRIPP).
The bill was presented by Armenian Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Trade Ararat Mirzoyan, who reaffirmed that the project’s infrastructure will operate under Armenia’s sovereignty and jurisdiction.
The minister recalled that the project is based on the agreements reached in the Washington Declaration of August 8, 2025. These were followed by the agreement on the TRIPP implementation framework and the signing of the interstate agreement now submitted for ratification.
He said that the project may include a railway, highways, power transmission lines and fiber-optic cables, as well as possible oil and gas pipelines. He emphasized that their construction and operation must be based on the principles of territorial integrity, sovereignty and jurisdiction.
“All infrastructure that will operate on the territory of the Republic of Armenia will in no way undermine territorial integrity and will operate entirely under the sovereignty and within the jurisdiction of the Republic of Armenia. In other words, the jurisdiction of the Republic of Armenia will extend to everything,” Mirzoyan told lawmakers.
The implementation of the project, he said, will enable Armenia to connect with third countries through Azerbaijan’s territory and infrastructure, develop domestic railway connectivity and become a hub for East-West communications. Azerbaijan, in turn, will gain connectivity with Nakhchivan through Armenian territory.
Mirzoyan noted that the significance of the project is not limited to economic benefits. In his assessment, the development of economic ties between Armenia, Azerbaijan and third countries could also contribute to strengthening peace, stability and security.
The minister said that completing the documentation process still requires agreement on the shareholders’ agreement and the charter of the TRIPP Development Company. He expressed hope that this work would be completed in the near future.
Addressing the company’s structure, Mirzoyan noted that it would be established with the participation of the Government of Armenia and the TRIPP Development Company on the American side. The American company will remain under the ownership and management of the U.S. government.
Armenia will hold a 26% stake in the TRIPP Development Company, while the American side will hold 74%. This ownership ratio will apply during the initial 49-year period.
“The parties have the opportunity to extend the term of cooperation by another 50 years, in which case the Republic of Armenia’s stake will automatically increase to 49%, without any additional investment, while the U.S. side will hold a 51% stake in the TRIPP Development Company,” the minister explained.
Mirzoyan expressed hope that the project would also receive support from the opposition factions.
“This is one of those cases in which we can reasonably and justifiably expect the bill to receive not only the votes in favor of the ruling faction but also the positive positions and votes in favor of the opposition factions,” he said.