Pashinyan announces Azerbaijan opens rail transit for Armenian exports

2026-02-11 - 22:45

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan announced Wednesday that Azerbaijan has officially opened its railway network for the transit of Armenian exports. Addressing parliament, Pashinyan confirmed that Yerevan has received high-level assurances guaranteeing the movement of goods through Azerbaijani territory, marking a potential breakthrough in regional economic connectivity. Call to Armenian businesses "Our businesses should record that the railway export route through Azerbaijan is open," Pashinyan told lawmakers, encouraging commercial entities to take advantage of the newly accessible corridor. The development follows months of behind-the-scenes diplomacy and confidence-building measures between the two South Caucasus neighbors, who have been engaged in peace talks mediated by international partners. Trump Route and US engagement Pashinyan also revealed that Armenia will submit its observations on the proposed "Trump Route" agreement project to Washington in the coming days. A feasibility study for the ambitious transport initiative, which aims to enhance regional connectivity, is currently underway. The announcement comes against the backdrop of a recent agreement signed in Yerevan between the Armenian government and US Vice President JD Vance regarding the deployment of American modular reactor technology—signaling deepening Armenia-US strategic engagement. Energy considerations Regarding critical energy infrastructure, Pashinyan stated that Armenia continues to evaluate options for a new nuclear power plant. He noted that discussions with international partners remain ongoing to ensure the project aligns with national interests and energy security requirements. The combination of transit openings, US technology cooperation, and infrastructure planning suggests Armenia is pursuing a multi-vector strategy to strengthen its economic resilience and regional integration.