Armenia, U.S. Release New Details on TRIPP Transit Route Framework

Five months after the first public announcement in Washington D.C., Armenia and the United States have released new details about the project known as the Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity, or TRIPP. The information was made public on Tuesday and sheds light on how the route will be owned, managed, and built.

The TRIPP project is designed to create a transit route through Armenia’s southern Syunik province. The route is expected to connect mainland Azerbaijan with its Nakhijevan exclave. At the same time, it could allow Armenian cargo to pass through Nakhijevan and move northward toward Yerevan. While the idea of the route has existed for years, the newly released framework is the first detailed outline of how it may function in practice.

According to the information published so far, the framework is not yet a legally binding agreement. Officials from both sides have said that a formal and binding accord will be announced later. For now, the document explains the general principles of ownership, management, sovereignty, and border control.

One of the most important details revealed concerns ownership. The route will be managed by a joint Armenian–American company. Under the current plan, the United States will control 74% of the shares, while Armenia will hold 26%. This structure will remain in place for at least the first 49 years of the project. If the agreement is extended beyond that period, Armenia’s share would increase to 49%.

Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan said the ownership split is fair because the United States is expected to provide most of the funding. Armenia’s main contribution will be development rights. The framework also allows for future changes to the share distribution, including the sale or donation of shares, but only if both governments agree. Azerbaijan will not have any ownership or role in managing the company.

The route itself will run along Armenia’s border with Iran. During the Soviet era, a railway line passed through this area and connected Nakhijevan with mainland Azerbaijan. After independence, most of the tracks were removed, and what remains is outdated. As a result, major construction work will be needed.

The framework outlines several types of infrastructure that are part of the project. These include railways, terminals, stations, and facilities for trains and equipment. It also includes roads, bridges, tunnels, and highways. In addition, the project covers energy infrastructure such as electricity lines, oil pipelines, and gas pipelines, as well as digital infrastructure like fiber-optic networks. Administrative buildings, utilities, and safety and security systems are also included.

In an earlier interview with CivilNet, U.S. Ambassador to Armenia Kristina Kvien said the railway would be the priority at the first stage of construction. Other parts of the project would be developed later.

Under the framework, the TRIPP company will receive exclusive development rights. This means it will be responsible for planning, designing, building, operating, and maintaining the transit infrastructure. The company will also sign contracts with construction firms and service providers and will collect revenues generated by the route.

In practice, this means many technical decisions will be made by the company’s board of directors rather than directly by the Armenian government. However, the document also notes that both the Armenian and U.S. governments are expected to be involved in certain key decisions.

Despite public concerns, the framework clearly states that Syunik province will not receive any special or separate status. Armenia will retain full sovereignty over all areas where the route passes. The document lists several powers that will remain under Armenia’s control.

These include full legislative, regulatory, and judicial authority over the territory, including the enforcement of Armenian laws and international agreements. Armenia will also keep control over national security and law enforcement, border control and customs, taxation and customs duties, and the right of access. Armenian authorities will have the power to enforce all national laws along the route.

This approach is very different from earlier statements made by U.S. Ambassador to Turkey Thomas Barrack, who said last July that the United States would formally lease the territory from Armenia for 100 years. It also differs from the plan agreed upon after the 2020 Karabakh war, which would have placed the route under Russian border guard control. That earlier plan was later abandoned and raised concerns about legal uncertainty and loss of sovereignty.

One of the most sensitive issues has been border management. Azerbaijan has long demanded what it calls unimpeded access, meaning Azerbaijani citizens would not interact with Armenian border guards when traveling through Armenia. Armenia has consistently rejected this idea and insisted on full control over its borders.

The TRIPP framework attempts to solve this problem by introducing a two-layer border control system. The first layer, known as the front office, will be run by private operators contracted by the TRIPP company. These operators will collect documents for verification, provide information, and collect fees, taxes, and customs duties. All collected funds will go directly to Armenia’s state budget.

The second layer, the back office, will be staffed by Armenian state officials. These officials will have full decision-making authority. They will handle final customs decisions, security checks, immigration control, law enforcement actions, permits, and inspections. The framework makes it clear that front office operators will not make decisions and will only act as intermediaries. It states that “Armenia’s sovereignty and jurisdiction over border and customs operations are absolute and non-negotiable.”

Still, some experts see unresolved problems. Speaking to CivilNet, Tigran Grigoryan of the Regional Center for Democracy and Security pointed out that the system lacks reciprocity. He said Azerbaijan is unlikely to accept similar arrangements on its own territory, which could lead to practical and political difficulties.

Grigoryan also noted that Azerbaijan has demanded exemptions from Armenian customs duties for goods moving between Azerbaijan and Nakhichevan. At the same time, Armenia would be allowed to collect fees on goods from Central Asia passing through Azerbaijan. The published framework does not address these demands or exemptions.

Even so, Grigoryan described the TRIPP framework as “not the worst possible option.” He argued that it may be preferable to the risks of Azerbaijan attempting to take the corridor by force or to a return of Russian control over the route. As he concluded, “It is clear that Armenia’s choice was never between good options.”

As discussions continue and a formal agreement is prepared, the TRIPP project remains one of the most complex and sensitive infrastructure initiatives in the region. Its final shape and impact will depend on future negotiations, implementation details, and regional reactions.

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