Armenia and US Delegation Advance TRIPP Project to Reshape Regional Transit and Diplomacy

On Monday, January 26, 2026, Sargis Khandanyan, the Chair of the Standing Committee on External Relations of the National Assembly of Armenia, convened a high-level meeting with a visiting delegation from the United States. The American group was spearheaded by Lance Kokonos, a prominent staff member of the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Foreign Affairs. During the session, Khandanyan extended a warm welcome to the visitors, highlighting the robust evolution of the strategic partnership between Armenia and the United States while emphasizing the critical nature of ongoing bilateral cooperation and engagement.

The primary focus of the diplomatic discussions centered on the practical implementation of the "Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity," commonly referred to as the TRIPP project. This ambitious initiative is designed to establish a seamless, multimodal transit corridor connecting Central Asia and the Caspian region directly to Europe by traversing the southern territories of Armenia. By design, the route provides a strategic alternative to existing transit paths that currently pass through Russia and Iran. This project serves as a direct extension of the TRIPP Implementation Framework announced on January 13 and 14, 2026, and is rooted in the foundational principles of the White House Declaration issued on August 8, 2025. The two sides reviewed the extensive technical and administrative work required to bring this infrastructure vision to fruition.

Spanning less than thirty miles across southern Armenia, the planned TRIPP railway and road network is poised to fundamentally transform Eurasian trade dynamics and bolster the region's geopolitical standing. Sargis Khandanyan has previously underscored that TRIPP is vital for safeguarding Armenian sovereignty and securing substantial economic advantages, effectively positioning the nation as a pivotal regional logistics and transit hub. Furthermore, the implementation framework unveiled on January 14, 2026, includes the establishment of the TRIPP Development Company. Under this arrangement, Armenia intends to offer the United States a 74% equity stake for an initial 49-year term, while retaining a 26% share for the Armenian state.

During the meeting, the Chairman also provided the American delegation with an update on the dual tracks of normalization involving Armenia’s relations with Azerbaijan and Turkey. These diplomatic processes are reportedly advancing in a parallel fashion and, according to Azerbaijani officials, are intrinsically linked to the successful realization of the TRIPP project. Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has noted a shared political will for normalization among Baku, Ankara, and Yerevan, suggesting that these diplomatic tracks will culminate alongside the formal establishment of diplomatic ties. A tangible milestone in this process was reached in late December 2025, when Armenia and Turkey implemented new visa procedures for specific service passport holders, a policy that officially took effect on January 1, 2026.

Analytical perspectives suggest that the TRIPP initiative represents a broader effort by the Armenian leadership to diminish regional reliance on Russian influence, a move that enjoys significant backing from the United States government. The stated objectives of the project are to enhance the security and long-term prosperity of both Armenia and Azerbaijan while facilitating American commercial interests through improved regional connectivity. Azerbaijan views this evolution as a cornerstone for a new regional architecture built on the logic of integration and connectivity. This shift was notably signaled in October 2025, when Baku made the strategic decision to lift restrictions on cargo transit into Armenia, paving the way for the current cooperative framework.