Armenian top diplomat says TRIPP negotiations excluded Russia, Türkiye

Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan has said that the possible participation of Russia and Türkiye in the Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity (TRIPP) project was not discussed during negotiations.

Speaking in a live broadcast from Washington following the signing of the TRIPP implementation document, Mirzoyan stressed that the initiative is a joint Armenian–American business project with a clearly defined framework, Caliber.Az reports, citing Armenian media.

Addressing questions about Türkiye’s potential involvement, the minister said the issue was not on the agenda. At the same time, he acknowledged that in the broader context of unblocking regional communications, a major logistics corridor cannot realistically function without Türkiye’s participation, nor can Armenia achieve full connectivity in isolation. He noted that dialogue with Ankara is progressing constructively and is expected to produce tangible results in the near future.

Mirzoyan underlined that without the restoration of the Gyumri–Kars railway, cargo transit from Armenia through Türkiye to European markets would remain impossible. From a logistical standpoint, he said, it would be natural for Türkiye to become part of regional communication networks—though not within the TRIPP framework itself, but potentially as a follow-on or complementary process.

The foreign minister added that Russia’s participation in TRIPP was likewise not discussed for similar reasons. However, he emphasized that Moscow could play a role in the broader regional unblocking process involving both neighboring and more distant states. “We do not intend to leave the Russian Federation outside this process,” Mirzoyan said.

Commenting on earlier remarks by Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan that Armenia could independently restore missing railway sections if the Russian operator, South Caucasus Railway, proves unwilling to do so, Mirzoyan said no immediate response from the Russian side had been anticipated.

He noted that Armenia has presented both political and economic visions for infrastructure development, highlighting the urgent need to restore the Yeraskh and Gyumri railway sections, as well as other missing links. These proposals have been communicated to the Russian side, and should no reaction follow, alternative scenarios will be considered, the minister concluded.

By Vafa Guliyeva