Rubio Announces Armenia-Azerbaijan Agreement to End Conflict, Launch TRIPP Corridor Through Syunik

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced Tuesday that Armenia and Azerbaijan have concluded an agreement that he said ends decades of conflict and opens a new transportation and economic corridor across the South Caucasus.

Speaking before the U.S. House Foreign Affairs Committee during a hearing on the State Department’s fiscal year 2027 budget request, Rubio said he had signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) a day earlier and described it as a major step toward regional peace and economic integration.

“The Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict ended. Not only did it end, but it ended with an agreement that I signed the MOU on yesterday, creating a new prosperity route, the TRIPP route, which will provide extraordinary opportunities for both countries, especially for Armenia, while respecting their sovereignty, to really benefit from that,” Rubio said.

The initiative, known as TRIPP, short for the Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity, was first outlined in a joint declaration signed by Armenia, Azerbaijan and the United States on Aug. 8, 2025. The project was launched under the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump and seeks to establish a major transportation and communications corridor linking Azerbaijan with its Nakhchivan exclave through Armenia’s southern Syunik Province.

Rubio’s remarks appeared to reference the recently signed Framework Agreement on Strategic Cooperation for TRIPP, which Armenian officials have described as a mechanism for advancing transportation connectivity, trade and regional economic cooperation while preserving Armenia’s sovereignty over all territory involved in the project.

Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan and Rubio formally signed the Framework Agreement on Strategic Cooperation for TRIPP through a remote signing process conducted on June 2 and June 4. The agreement had previously been initialed during Rubio’s visit to Armenia on May 26.

According to Armenia’s Foreign Ministry, the agreement is intended to deepen economic cooperation through the implementation and operation of the corridor, while expanding regional and international trade links.

The framework envisions cooperation among the parties to improve transportation connectivity, facilitate cross-border commerce, and promote long-term peace, stability and economic development throughout the South Caucasus and beyond.

A central provision of the agreement emphasizes that Armenia will retain full sovereignty and jurisdiction over its internationally recognized territory, including all border crossings and customs operations associated with the route.

Under the agreement, Armenia will remain responsible for border security, customs and migration control, law enforcement activities, tax and duty collection, government information systems, and overall state administration and oversight related to the corridor.

Supporters of the initiative argue that the project could transform the South Caucasus into a key transit hub connecting Europe, Central Asia and the Middle East, while providing new economic opportunities for both Armenia and Azerbaijan. The agreement also reflects Washington’s growing diplomatic involvement in the region as it seeks to support economic development and long-term stability following years of tensions between the two neighboring countries.

—

Support independent reporting from the region by subscribing to The Armenian Report. Our team is funded solely by readers like you.