Russia-Armenia direct railway connection via Azerbaijan and Georgia highlights regional shift from confrontation to cooperation, says Overchuk

Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexey Overchuk expressed gratitude to Georgia, as well as his counterparts in Azerbaijan and Armenia, for their efforts to unblock transport links in the South Caucasus.

On Wednesday evening, a train carrying wheat from Russia arrived in Armenia for the first time, passing through Azerbaijan and Georgia.

“I would like to thank my colleagues — Azerbaijan’s Deputy Prime Minister Shahin Mustafayev and Armenia’s Deputy Prime Minister Mher Grigoryan — for their joint efforts to unblock transport links in the South Caucasus, as well as Georgia for its constructive role in organizing cargo transportation along this route,” Overchuk told RIA Novosti.

He noted that the opening of railway communication between Russia and Armenia is a direct outcome of the agreements reached by Russian President Vladimir Putin, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, formalized in the Nov. 9, 2020, and Jan. 11, 2021 declarations. He stated that this was also made possible through the work of the trilateral working group co-chaired by the deputy prime ministers of Armenia, Russia and Azerbaijan.

According to Overchuk, the direct railway link between Armenia and Russia via Azerbaijan and Georgia represents a significant contribution to establishing peace in the South Caucasus and underscores a shared commitment to cooperation.

“For the first time since Armenia’s independence, there is direct railway communication between our countries. This event is a real and meaningful contribution to the establishment of peace in the South Caucasus and demonstrates our work for regional stability and the economic development of all countries in the region,” Russia’s deputy PM said.

He added that the new route strengthens Russia’s transport links with South Caucasus states, increases the availability of goods from other Eurasian Economic Union member countries to Armenian markets, and improves access for Armenian producers to EAEU markets.

“Symbolically, the first cargo transported along this route was Russian wheat — one of the most important symbols of life and creation — once again highlighting the shared desire to establish peace and shift from confrontation to cooperation in the South Caucasus,” Overchuk concluded.