Armenia approves US-backed route project

YEREVAN

This photograph shows the National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia in Yerevan, Armenia, Tuesday, Oct. 3, 2023. (PHOTOLURE via AP)

Armenia’s parliament ratified a framework agreement with the United States on Oct. 28 to develop the Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity (TRIPP), a transport corridor designed to restore regional connectivity.

The project is part of an agreement reached between Armenia and Azerbaijan in August 2025 under U.S. auspices. It also aims to reopen transport links across the region and facilitate transit between Azerbaijan and its Nakhchivan exclave through Armenian territory.

Under the framework agreement, debated by lawmakers, a joint development company will be established, with the U.S. holding a 74 percent stake and Armenia owning the remaining 26 percent for an initial 49-year period.

If the partnership is extended for a further 50 years, Armenia’s share will increase to 49 percent without requiring additional investment, while the U.S. stake will decrease to 51 percent, Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan told parliament.