Armenia, the United States and Azerbaijan have announced the establishment of trilateral technical working groups to advance the Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity (TRIPP), marking another step toward implementing the US-backed transit initiative connecting Azerbaijan to Nakhijevan through southern Armenia.
According to a joint statement published by Armenia’s Foreign Ministry on November 7, the first two working groups will focus on transportation infrastructure and electricity transmission, examining technical requirements and connections to existing regional networks.
The announcement was made by US Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs Brendan Hanrahan, Armenian Deputy Foreign Minister Vahan Kostanyan and Azerbaijani Deputy Foreign Minister Elnur Mammadov.
The working groups will bring together policymakers and technical specialists from all three countries to address infrastructure-related challenges and coordinate the next stages of the project.
TRIPP emerged from the August 8, 2025, Washington summit, where Nikol Pashinyan and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev signed a joint declaration under the mediation of US President Donald Trump.
The initiative envisages establishing transport connectivity between mainland Azerbaijan and Nakhijevan through Armenia’s Syunik region, creating a new transit link that could also connect to broader regional transportation networks.
The proposed route has become one of the most consequential elements of the US-mediated Armenian-Azerbaijani normalization process, particularly because of its implications for Armenia’s sovereignty, border management and control over infrastructure operating on its territory.
The involvement of the United States introduces an additional international dimension to the project, while questions surrounding its operational arrangements, security provisions and long-term management remain central to discussions about implementation.
The November 7 announcement indicates that the three countries are moving toward technical coordination on specific infrastructure components, rather than limiting discussions to the broader political framework established in Washington.
The joint statement reaffirmed the importance of the August 8 declaration and the parties’ commitment to making all components of TRIPP operational as quickly as possible.
However, no construction timetable, projected completion date or detailed implementation schedule was announced.
The establishment of the working groups represents a further step toward implementing the proposed corridor, although its final operational framework and practical arrangements have yet to be fully clarified.
