TRIPP Provides Strong Guarantees for Armenia, Says U.S. Ambassador to CivilNet

YEREVAN — Turkey is a key element of former U.S. President Donald Trump’s vision for the TRIPP corridor, U.S. Ambassador to Armenia Kristina Kvien said in an interview with CivilNet.

“This can become a truly impactful project if the railway segment that passes through Nakhichevan is used, then returns through Armenia—via Shirak and Kars into Turkey—and from there continues onward, wherever it goes, because Turkey has a fairly developed railway network,” the ambassador noted.

She added that the United States is working directly with Turkey on this issue, emphasizing that Armenia is also engaging with Turkey and taking all necessary steps to help realize this vision.

“By creating a safe and secure route both in the north and the south—passing through Nakhichevan and then Armenia toward Gyumri and Turkey’s Kars province—a transit corridor will open that connects East to West and West to East. Nearly all countries along this route will benefit. I would say Armenia will likely benefit more than others, because for more than 30 years Armenia’s eastern and western borders have been closed,” Kvien said.

Outlining the U.S. vision for TRIPP, the ambassador stressed that it is a route designed to connect East and West, ultimately linking Central Asia with Western Europe. In her view, the Caucasus has long been an obstacle to such a route due to various geopolitical reasons.

“As TRIPP is being developed, the vision is for it to be created together with the United States through a joint venture, which we are currently working to establish. Armenia will have a permanent seat at the negotiating table to support its development and to ensure that its territorial integrity, sovereignty, and jurisdiction are fully respected in practice. So I believe TRIPP provides very strong guarantees for Armenia and will not face the concerns that had previously been raised,” the U.S. ambassador concluded.