South Caucasus slipping from Russia's hands thanks to 'Trump route'
Photo: Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and US President Donald Trump (flickr.com)
The US and Armenia are launching the TRIPP route, sidelining Russia as the main player in the South Caucasus. The new corridor will connect Asia and Europe via Armenia and Azerbaijan without Moscow's involvement, according to the Foreign Intelligence Service.
American route replaces Russian influence
The Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity (TRIPP) project is becoming a new geopolitical factor in the region. It provides the United States with special rights to develop the transit corridor.
A joint Armenian-American management company will control the project for the next 49 years.
"The TRIPP is finally depriving Russia of its position as the main player in the South Caucasus," the intelligence service notes.
Major development and strategic significance of the route
The TRIPP plan includes constructing oil and gas pipelines, fiber-optic networks, and building railway and road infrastructure along the railway line bordering Iran.
According to the beneficiaries, the corridor will form an "important link" in the Trans-Caspian route, which runs through China, Kazakhstan, the Caspian Sea, Azerbaijan, Georgia, and onward to Türkiye and European countries.
Excluding Russia from the negotiation process
According to Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan, Russia's participation in the project was not even discussed by the American and Armenian sides.
The intelligence service notes that Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan nearly issued an ultimatum to the main carrier of the aggressor country, JSC "Russian Railways" (RZhD), currently the concessionaire of the Armenian railway, to quickly restore the destroyed routes to the borders with Azerbaijan and Türkiye.
Otherwise, the restoration will be funded by Armenia, raising questions about the relevance of Russia's presence in the region.
Previously, RBC-Ukraine reported on the points of agreement between Armenia and Azerbaijan.
Under the plan, Armenia will grant the United States exclusive rights to develop the route called the Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity.
The infrastructure will be managed by a special consortium under sublease, while operations will be conducted according to Armenian law.
The agreement also envisions the final dissolution of the OSCE Minsk Group, effectively ending the previous format of international mediation involving Russia and France.
