Armenia does not intend to make decisions "behind Russia's back": Pashinyan on the railway future
YEREVAN, April 9. /ARКА/. Armenia has no plans to act without Russia's knowledge or against its interests concerning the potential transfer of the concession for Armenian railways to Kazakhstan, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan stated today in response to a question about whether this topic would be discussed during a meeting with the Kazakh Foreign Minister in Yerevan.
"At least for now, while there are ample opportunities for dialogue with Russia, we will proceed with our efforts," Pashinyan remarked during a press briefing on Thursday. He added that Kazakhstan has expressed its interest in the TRIPP (Trump Route) project since August 2025.
"A new international transport route is emerging, and Kazakhstan plays a significant role in the global transport industry, especially regarding the movement of goods to and from China. Our Kazakh partners are eager to gain a clearer understanding of the new opportunities arising, how they will affect the situation, and what prospects are available for them," Pashinyan emphasized.
The Prime Minister also pointed out that not only Kazakhstan but several other nations are interested in this development. "This is a transparent process, and we have no intention of concealing anything from our partners," he stated.
Regarding railway discussions, Pashinyan previously mentioned that he had talked about the railway situation in Armenia with Russian President Vladimir Putin. He confirmed that work on this matter is ongoing.
On April 2, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexey Overchuk indicated that the Russian side became aware of the potential transfer of the Russian concession for Armenian railways through discussions with colleagues from other countries; no direct conversations had taken place with Moscow.
On April 7, the Ministry of Transport of Kazakhstan announced that they are not in negotiations regarding the acquisition of the Russian concession for Armenian railways.
About Armenia's plans
In February 2026, Pashinyan did not rule out the possibility of Russia selling the right to manage Armenian railways to another country friendly to Armenia and Russia, specifically Qatar, the UAE, or Kazakhstan.
Pashinyan stated that, as part of the TRIPP project, several countries are proposing to build a railway link between Nakhchivan and the mainland of Azerbaijan, bypassing Armenia, pointing out that the Armenian railway is managed by a Russian company. According to him, due to Russia's management of the Armenian railway, "Armenia is losing its competitive advantage."
Southern Caucasus Railways (SCR), a subsidiary of Russian Railways, has held the concessionaire for the Armenian railway for a period of 30 years since 2008.-0-
