Vladimir Jabarov, first deputy chair of the Russian Federation Council’s Committee on International Affairs, stated that Moscow is pleased there are currently no armed clashes between Armenia and Azerbaijan, but expressed serious doubts about the Trump Route (TRIPP) project, Sputnik Armenia reports.
“I don’t think this project will be easy to implement, especially considering that the Trump administration is thousands of kilometers away from the region. Here we have Russia, Turkey, and Iran. Therefore, it must be a road of peace and cooperation, beneficial for all sides, both Armenia and Azerbaijan,” Jabarov said during the Moscow–Minsk–Astana–Yerevan–Tashkent–Tbilisi video conference.
He emphasized that the future transport corridor should not bring profit to one country at the expense of another, stressing the need for a balance of interests so that all parties benefit.
Jabarov added that Russia continues to play a key role in ensuring stability in the South Caucasus.
“Russia is a country genuinely interested in regional stability and friendly relations with both Armenia and Azerbaijan. This route should serve the development of our states, not the interests of third countries,” he said.
According to Jabarov, U.S. President Donald Trump “did his part” and is no longer interested in developments in the region.
At the August 8 summit in Washington, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, and Trump officially agreed to launch the Trump Route project. Pashinyan later clarified that Armenia had granted construction rights, not land leases, to the U.S. side for up to 99 years.
