“For the past eight months, full peace has been established along the Armenia–Azerbaijan border. The year 2025 became, for the first time since our independence in 1991, a calendar year in which no casualties or injuries occurred as a result of Armenia–Azerbaijan shootings. For months now, residents of border communities have not heard gunfire.
Moreover, for the first time since independence, in November 2025, a train arrived in the Republic of Armenia via Azerbaijani territory, also passing through Georgia. This followed a statement by the President of Azerbaijan in October 2025, announcing the removal of restrictions on rail transport to Armenia via Azerbaijan, and I am grateful to the Azerbaijani President for this decision.
We, for our part, have also announced that we are ready, even today, to ensure transit from Azerbaijan to Turkey and vice versa using our existing roads. Neither Azerbaijan nor Turkey has yet used this opportunity, presumably because they are concerned it might delay the implementation of the TRIPP project. From this podium, I officially declare that Armenia has neither the intention nor the reason to delay the TRIPP project, as it fully aligns with Armenia’s short-, medium-, and long-term interests, and, in no way undermines Armenia’s sovereignty, territorial integrity, or jurisdiction.
I also want to add that the Republic of Armenia is ready today, using existing infrastructure, to ensure road connectivity between Azerbaijan’s western regions and the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic via the Kornidzor–Goris–Yeghegnadzor–Yeraskh route,” Prime Minister Pashinyan said.
He added that this proposal is not intended in any way to delay, obstruct, or disregard the Washington agreements. “I say this officially. We make these proposals because, as I mentioned earlier, we are already using Azerbaijan’s railway in a slightly alternative way. Just as Azerbaijan is waiting to establish rail connectivity to Nakhchivan via Armenian territory, we are also waiting to establish a railway connection through Nakhchivan between southern and northern Armenia. This railway route has no alternative for Armenia — the country’s mountainous terrain does not allow any other railway connection between its south and north. As you can see, the expectations of Armenia and Azerbaijan do not conflict.
We also plan to use the Georgia–Azerbaijan railway for exports. I hope that in the near future, Azerbaijan will become an export destination for Armenia. Armenia already imports petroleum products from Azerbaijan, which has helped reduce fuel prices in our market and broken decades-long monopolies in the fuel sector.
I also want to thank the Prime Minister of Georgia for supporting the railway connection between Armenia and Azerbaijan and, more broadly, the peace process,” Pashinyan said.
