Yavuz Aydin and Gizem Nisa Demir
January 15, 2026•Update: January 15, 2026
ANKARA
Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said the core aspects of reopening regional transport routes, a central element of the peace process, have been resolved under the Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity (TRIPP) implementation framework agreement.
Speaking at a Cabinet meeting, Pashinyan said the implementation framework approved on Wednesday represents the second major milestone following the announcement of TRIPP, which Armenia and the US agreed on during a White House summit on Aug. 8, 2025.
He said the agreement marks a key step toward reopening transport routes and advancing peace in Armenia and the wider region through practical measures.
Pashinyan stressed that Armenia has not experienced long-term peace for decades and that the current process requires a new political culture and way of thinking to turn peace into a tangible reality.
Legal formalization of agreements needed
The prime minister underlined the need to quickly transform the understandings reached under TRIPP into binding legal agreements.
“We need to start working on draft agreements and legal decisions. In particular, a company called ‘TRIPP’ should be established in the Republic of Armenia. We also need to define the routes, development rights, land use, and construction permits,” Pashinyan said.
Armenia ready to ensure unimpeded transit
Pashinyan confirmed that Armenia is ready, within the agreed framework, to ensure unimpeded transport links between Azerbaijan and its Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic, saying there is clear political will to move forward.
“I want to underline and reaffirm our political will. In line with the principles we have repeatedly stated, including ensuring unimpeded communication between the main part of Azerbaijan and the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic within the agreed framework, we are ready, willing, and determined to move forward.
Our thinking is that here as well, we must go beyond the logic of conflict and move toward a normal, peaceful atmosphere and mindset,” he said.
Pashinyan cautioned that progress would not be rapid in either Armenia or Azerbaijan, as narratives shaped by years of conflict continue to influence public discourse in both countries.
Referring to fuel imports from Azerbaijan to Armenia, he said similar accusations circulate on both sides despite having no basis in current realities.
“I also touched on this issue the day before yesterday in the context of gasoline imports. In Armenia, there are claims such as ‘we are sending money to Azerbaijan, and they will use that money to attack Armenia.’
The same rhetoric exists in Azerbaijan. I know and I see in reports that there are comments saying, ‘Azerbaijan is sending diesel fuel and gasoline to Armenia; they will fill their tanks and armored vehicles with this fuel and attack Azerbaijan.’
However, we must note that all of this is rumor-mongering that has no relation to today’s reality, both in the Azerbaijani and Armenian cases,” he said.
Pashinyan said the government must focus on delivering concrete benefits of peace rather than engaging in speculative debates, suspicions, or challenges.
TRIPP initiative
The TRIPP initiative was agreed at a White House summit on Aug. 8, 2025, involving Pashinyan, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, and US President Donald Trump, with the aim of reopening regional transport links by connecting mainland Azerbaijan to Nakhchivan via Armenia.
Following talks in Washington between Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Armenia and the US released the implementation framework.
Azerbaijan welcomed the move on Wednesday, calling it a key step toward launching “practical work,” and said unimpeded connectivity to Nakhchivan is a top priority. Baku also described TRIPP as important for diversifying regional trade and transport links.
