Western countries await Armenia's unblocking of trade routes: minister

PanARMENIAN.Net - Armenian Economy Minister Gevorg Papoyan said during a press briefing that the West is also eagerly awaiting the unblocking of regional transportation routes, noting that following the peace process, Armenia has become increasingly significant on the global stage.

According to Papoyan, economic issues dominated the agenda of meetings between the Armenian delegation, led by Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, and Germany’s president and chancellor, as reported by 1lurer.am .

“In Berlin, when we met with the German Eastern Business Association, and in Hamburg, during meetings with business groups, everyone was interested in when the Armenia–Turkey and Armenia–Azerbaijan borders will open. This is because numerous European projects are linked to Central Asia and China.

The logic behind these projects is that goods will flow through the Middle Corridor. One option is the Azerbaijan–Georgia–Black Sea route, but the other, as they themselves stated, is Azerbaijan–Armenia–Turkey–Mediterranean, or through Turkey into Europe.

From this perspective, I want to emphasize that we held very important discussions, explored various projects—some even proposed by them—such as the potential transport of green hydrogen. They’re undertaking significant initiatives in this area, and all of this is tied to the ‘Crossroads of Peace’ project, the TRIPP initiative, and the broader opportunity to unblock regional roads. The West, like us, is waiting for these routes to open,” he said.

In Washington, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, and former U.S. President Donald Trump officially agreed to launch the “Trump Path.”

“The route will allow Azerbaijan to reach Nakhchivan while fully respecting Armenia’s sovereignty. Armenia is also entering an exclusive partnership with the U.S. to develop this corridor, with a lease period that may be extended up to 99 years—and potentially another 99 years thereafter. We expect major infrastructure developments. American companies are eager to enter these countries and invest heavily, which will bring economic benefits to all three nations,” Trump said.

On September 11, Pashinyan clarified that Armenia did not lease land to the U.S. for 99 years, but rather granted construction rights.