The U.S. and Armenia are launching the TRIPP transport corridor, connecting Asia and Europe through Armenia and Azerbaijan while avoiding Russia’s involvement, according to the Foreign Intelligence Service.
Source: Gazeta.UA
The project, officially named the “Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity” (TRIPP), grants the U.S. special rights to develop the transit corridor. A joint Armenian-American company will manage the project for the next 49 years.
The intelligence service notes that TRIPP effectively removes Russia from its position as a key player in the South Caucasus. The plan includes laying oil and gas pipelines, fiber-optic networks, as well as railway and road infrastructure along the railway line at the border with Iran.
The corridor will become a key element of the Trans-Caspian route, which passes through China, Kazakhstan, the Caspian Sea, Azerbaijan, Georgia, and onward to Turkey and Europe.
Armenia’s Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan confirmed that Russia’s participation in the project was not discussed. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan called on the Russian carrier JSC “RZD,” the concessionaire of the Armenian railway, to urgently repair damaged sections up to the borders with Azerbaijan and Turkey. Otherwise, Armenia will carry out the repairs at its own expense, putting Russia’s presence in the region into question.
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