TRIPP vital for Pashinyan government but a threat to Armenia’s sovereignty, Svobodnaya Pressa writes
Washington is moving from political statements to the practical design of a key transport artery that would connect mainland Azerbaijan with Nakhijevan through Armenian territory, political analyst Mikhail Varshava said in an interview with Svobodnaya Pressa.
Varshava says under the guise of acting as a “technical adviser,” the United States is effectively becoming the architect of the entire South Caucasus transport configuration.
According to him, the US would gain long-term leverage over transit flows between Central Asia and Europe by creating an alternative to Russian and Iranian routes.
He believes the project is a double-edged sword for Armenia. On the one hand, Yerevan is being promised investments, infrastructure modernization, and the status of a major transit hub. On the other hand, Armenia would voluntarily cede strategic control over part of its territory to external management — an unprecedented step in terms of national sovereignty.
“It is also important that US Vice President JD Vance is currently planning a visit to Armenia, which is intended as a symbolic confirmation of the White House’s support for the project, helping to shift public attention from domestic issues to the image of a ‘prosperous transit future.’ Thus, TRIPP is a project where logistics and socio-economic benefits serve as a cover for politics,” the analyst noted.
He added that the initiative benefits the United States by securing a permanent point of influence in the region, and benefits Azerbaijan by providing it with a land corridor. At the same time, he argued it is vital for Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s government as a pillar of its political stability.
However, Varshava warned that Armenia could face long-term consequences, including a partial loss of sovereignty and systematic concessions to Azerbaijan. He claimed that if Baku’s demands grow over time, Washington would be able to increase pressure on Yerevan by using TRIPP as leverage.
