Escalating geopolitical tensions and regional armed conflicts have disrupted traditional trade routes, prompting the European Union and Türkiye to prioritize new connectivity projects that ensure secure and uninterrupted trade between Central Asia and Europe via the South Caucasus.
A four-way meeting involving the European Union, Türkiye, Armenia, and Azerbaijan is anticipated in the coming months to coordinate and advance the regional interconnectedness agenda, the Hürriyet Daily News has learned.
The development follows the signing of a peace agreement between Azerbaijan and Armenia in late 2025 under the mediation of the United States President Donald Trump, who has also initiated the construction of “the Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity” (TRIPP) to link Azerbaijan with its Nakhichevan Autonomous Region.
The normalization of relations between Azerbaijan and Armenia has also paved the way for the EU to intensify its efforts to establish strong and structural ties with the Central Asian countries and access to the region via Türkiye and the South Caucasus.
The EU has already announced its intention to invest in Azerbaijan’s railway project in Nakhichevan through the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development in January, after launching its ambitious Cross-Regional Connectivity Agenda.
Azerbaijan, for its part, has already started construction of the railway, which aims to link Azerbaijan and Türkiye through the autonomous region.
The completion of the Nakhichevan railway project and TRIPP will create an important connectivity ground between Europe and Central Asia, often dubbed the Middle Corridor. This will result in by-passing Suez Channel and Russia-controlled territories and enhancing trade between Europe and Asia.
Reconciliation efforts among Armenia and Azerbaijan and Armenia and Türkiye have delivered early gains in connectivity, as the countries have commenced renovating outdated railways and roads while launching construction on new ones.
However, moving forward in connectivity projects require the formal signing of the permanent peace deal between Armenia and Azerbaijan as the former is expected to undertake some amendments on its constitution, probably after the elections in the next months.
This step will allow Türkiye to establish full diplomatic ties and open the borders with Armenia. However, before that, Ankara is mulling opening the Alican-Margara crossing in the coming months for the use of diplomatic passport holders and the third country nationals.
