Armenia Rejects Russia's Participation in the TRIPP Project
Russia's participation in the "Trump Route" project (TRIPP) is not under discussion. This was stated by Ruben Rubinyan, Deputy Speaker of the Armenian Parliament, commenting on the Russian Foreign Ministry's statement on its readiness to discuss the plan with Yerevan.
"We are pleased that they are ready to discuss it with us. If you want me to repeat it 160 times, there are no such discussions. I do not answer hypothetical questions," Rubinyan emphasized.
Earlier, Mikhail Kalugin, Director of the Fourth Department of the CIS Countries at the Russian Foreign Ministry, stated that the route "mostly passes through the area of responsibility of Russian border guards."
"Our company, South Caucasus Railways, a subsidiary of Russian Railways (RZD), holds a concession to manage Armenia's railway network. The region uses Russian railway track," Kalugin explained, noting that "it is obvious that our partners cannot do without Russia."
Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan recently stated that the "Trump Route" could play a key role in ensuring unimpeded communication between Europe, the South Caucasus, and Central Asia. He announced that the "TRIPP Company" would be registered in Armenia. This joint Armenian-American venture would be authorized to develop railways, highways, oil and gas pipelines, and fiber-optic cables.
