BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 13. The Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity (TRIPP) is becoming an increasingly integral part of Eurasia's new geo-economic architecture. It serves as a key transport hub, providing an alternative route for international freight transport and enhancing strategic connectivity between Asia and Europe.
For Azerbaijan, the Zangezur Corridor is both a domestic connectivity project and part of its international transport strategy. As President Ilham Aliyev said in an interview with local TV channels on January 5, Of course, we expect cargo from China and Central Asian countries to travel along the Zangezur Corridor as well.
"We naturally view it primarily as a link with the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic, but also as an international transport corridor. Currently, there is only one railway route from Azerbaijan westward. There will be two. Two are always better than one, especially when you have no access to the world ocean and have to go through neighboring countries. It is always better to have an alternative for volumes, to be competitive, to prevent monopolization of the transit route by anyone, and, of course, to ensure more competitive tariffs," said the head of state.
This position underscores a critical strategic insight: the Zangezur Corridor should not be viewed as simply duplicating existing routes, but rather as establishing a vital alternative and an essential logistical asset for landlocked nations lacking direct access to open seas. As an alternative, it offers a competitive edge through more favorable tariff structures, reduced operational risks, decreased reliance on a single route, and enhanced predictability of deliveries, all of which are paramount for the efficiency and resilience of modern supply chains.
Connecting the main territory of Azerbaijan with the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic, the Zangezur Corridor is far more than an internal transportation link; it is an integral component of the broader Eurasian logistics network known as the Middle Corridor. This corridor serves as a crucial channel for dependable connectivity between Asian and European markets, thereby unlocking significant opportunities not only for Azerbaijan but also for Central Asia, Iran, the Caucasus, and the European Union.
In recent years, the Middle Corridor has experienced steady and remarkable growth, evolving from a secondary route into a fully independent geo-economic artery linking China, Central Asia, the Caspian Sea, Türkiye, and Europe. Within this framework, the Zangezur Corridor emerges as a strategic western extension, easing congestion on existing routes and complementing the Baku–Tbilisi–Kars railway line.
On the existing Baku–Tbilisi–Kars railway, freight trains are required to traverse approximately 250 kilometers through Georgia. In contrast, the Zangezur Corridor offers a significantly shorter alternative, reducing the overall travel distance.
The inauguration of the Zangezur Corridor does not diminish the strategic importance of the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars route. Rather, both corridors will serve complementary roles, enhancing transit flexibility and reinforcing stability across the region’s logistical network.
The opening of the Zangezur Corridor promises substantial benefits for all countries within the region. It not only provides Asian nations with more direct access to European markets via land routes, but also bolsters the logistical capacity of both the South Caucasus and Central Asia. Furthermore, it is expected to stimulate an increase in external demand for transit services, thereby strengthening the region's position as a pivotal transport hub linking Asia and Europe.
From a transit perspective, particularly concerning China, the rationale is clear: an increase in land crossings enhances logistical flexibility and mitigates the risk of bottlenecks at specific choke points. Central Asian countries, including Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Turkmenistan, have a vested interest in expanding their access to Türkiye and Europe. The introduction of an alternative land route through Nakhchivan offers a new logistical pathway, circumventing congestion-prone areas within the Caucasus.
Notably, the significance of the Zangezur Corridor has attracted attention beyond the region’s immediate geographical confines. The United States, in particular, has embraced the project, framing it within a broader political and economic initiative known as TRIPP, further elevating its global strategic importance.
TRIPP is no longer perceived as a single-country initiative and has begun to be discussed as a regional platform with the potential to strengthen the American presence in Eurasian logistics. US participation in regional projects was previously associated mainly with energy, oil, gas, and pipelines. Now, the focus has shifted to transport infrastructure.
The key difference with TRIPP is that it is not limited to infrastructure construction. The concept addresses issues of regulatory coordination, investment mechanisms, and private sector participation, which takes the project beyond the traditional “build and transfer” logic.
The Zangezur Corridor has the potential to become a key driver of regional integration, strengthening economic ties between the South Caucasus, Central Asia, Iran, and Türkiye. In addition to its purely logistical function, the route contributes to the formation of alternative trade arteries, minimizing the risks of monopolization and ensuring competitive tariff conditions.
The integration of TRIPP into the Middle Corridor allows countries in the region to develop multilateral infrastructure projects, including joint customs points, single window platforms, and the digitization of logistics, which increases the predictability and efficiency of transit.
At the same time, the Turkic dimension of the corridor is being strengthened. For Türkiye, the Zangezur Corridor means direct rail links with the rest of the Turkic space and eliminates the need for detours. For Azerbaijan, it is an outlet to Türkiye. For the countries of Central Asia, it reduces the distance to European markets, which is an important factor in the context of growing competition among transit routes.
Thus, the corridor strengthens energy, trade, and logistics connectivity between Turkic states, precisely the direction that has been consistently developed over the past two decades and is already manifesting itself in institutional form within the Organization of Turkic States.
The Zangezur Corridor is a strategic initiative that intertwines Azerbaijan's domestic and international interests with those of Central Asian nations, while also engaging global partners, such as the United States. Its establishment reinforces Azerbaijan's role as a regional transport hub, reduces delivery times, enhances transit reliability, and fosters economic growth across Eurasia. As the TRIPP framework is implemented and cargo flows from Central Asia and China increase, the corridor is poised to become a vital alternative to traditional routes, catalyzing long-term regional integration.