Russia will help Armenia establish rail links with Azerbaijan and Turkey
YEREVAN, February 12. /ARКА/. Russia and Armenia will assess the technical and financial conditions for the restoration of two railway sections for their subsequent connection with the railways of Azerbaijan and Turkey, Russia’s Deputy Prime Minister Alexey Overchuk told reporters.
"In accordance with the request of the Armenian side and based on friendly and fraternal feelings for the people of Armenia, the Russian Federation has decided to begin substantive negotiations on the restoration of two sections of Armenian railways, which will ensure their connection with the railways of the Republic of Azerbaijan near the town of Yeraskh, as well as with the railways of the Republic of Turkey near the settlement of Akhuryan," he said, Interfax reports.
The total length of the sections to be restored is 1.6 km and 12.4 km.
"During the negotiations, technical, financial, and other modalities for the implementation of this project will be determined," Overchuk said.
Restoring the railway sections, he said, will provide Russia with direct rail links with the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic of Azerbaijan, Turkey with access to Mediterranean ports, and Iran with access to ports in the Persian Gulf and Indian Ocean.
"To address this major challenge, work is underway to unblock all disrupted routes in the Caucasus, including the possibility of restoring rail service between the Russian Federation and Georgia through Abkhazia," Overchuk added.
According to him, Russia continues to work to unblock economic and transport links in the South Caucasus region in accordance with the agreements reached between the leaders of Russia, Azerbaijan, and Armenia in 2020-2021. At the end of 2025, rail traffic between Russia and Armenia through Azerbaijan and Georgia was resumed for the first time since 1991, he recalled.
On Yerevan's Position
Recently, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan stated that Russia had responded generally positively to the request regarding the repair of railway sections necessary for the implementation of the TRIPP project, but practical and strategic issues remain.
According to Pashinyan, Armenia already has an operating railway (Yeraskh-Akhurik), and only the missing sections need to be restored and the infrastructure modernized. However, because the Armenian railway is managed by Russian Railways, the country is losing its competitive advantages amidst international tensions, which is being exploited in favor of an alternative route. -0-
