On November 6, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Transport of Kazakhstan Asel Janasova met with Deputy Prime Minister Mher Grigoryan and Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan of Armenia during her visit to Yerevan.
Sea-news.az reports that the main issue discussed in both meetings was Kazakhstan’s potential accession to TRIPP (Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity). The emerging geopolitical and geoeconomic realities in the South Caucasus lay the groundwork for significant structural transformations across the region’s transport and communications map. In this process, the Zangezur transport connection, in which Azerbaijan serves as a primary initiator and key stakeholder, holds strategic importance. Kazakhstan’s engagement with the TRIPP project marks a noteworthy milestone, elevating the initiative beyond a regional framework into an integral component of the broader Eurasian transport network.
Kazakhstan’s involvement is primarily driven by prospects of expanding transport links between Central Asia and the South Caucasus, enhancing the operational capacity of the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (Middle Corridor), and bolstering Azerbaijan’s position as a premier transit hub. The TRIPP project envisions establishing a transport connection between mainland Azerbaijan and the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic through Armenian territory within a broader international cooperation framework. The core essence of the initiative extends beyond constructing road and rail infrastructure; it aims to unblock regional communications, expand trade ties, and develop international transit capabilities.
For Azerbaijan, this connection ensures a more convenient transport route between its mainland territory and Nakhchivan. Simultaneously, it holds strategic value for diversifying export routes toward Turkish and broader European markets. In this context, evaluating the TRIPP project solely within the scope of Azerbaijan-Armenia bilateral relations would be insufficient, as the route directly intersects with trade arteries stretching from Central Asia to Europe.
Kazakhstan’s interest in TRIPP was openly expressed following President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev’s meeting with Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan in Yerevan in November 2025. On April 2, 2026, Prime Minister of Kazakhstan Olzhas Bektenov articulated a more concrete stance, declaring his country’s readiness to participate in the Zangezur corridor initiative. Bektenov specifically highlighted the interest of Kazakh companies in constructing and modernizing railway infrastructure along the route, signaling Astana’s transition from political interest to practical economic participation.
A primary economic driver behind Kazakhstan’s interest is its strategic position as a transit bridge between China and Europe. Kazakhstan serves as a vital entry point for Chinese freight moving across Central Asia to the Caspian Sea, through Azerbaijan, and onward to Türkiye and Europe.
Thus, integrating TRIPP with the Middle Corridor will broaden the geographical reach of the route while strengthening its economic foundation. Under this framework, Kazakhstan’s eastern rail and port assets and Azerbaijan’s westward transport network will operate as complementary components of a unified logistics chain.
Kazakhstan’s readiness to participate in TRIPP offers several strategic advantages for Azerbaijan:
- Strengthening Transit Standing: Freight flows originating from Kazakhstan heading to European markets via Azerbaijan will gain additional route options upon the opening of the Zangezur connection, reinforcing Azerbaijan’s role as a major hub connecting the Caspian Basin, Central Asia, Türkiye, and Europe.
- Increasing Transit Revenue: Growing rail and road cargo volumes will drive demand for port, terminal, warehousing, forwarding, and customs services, where the Baku International Sea Trade Port, the Alat Free Economic Zone, and Azerbaijani national rail infrastructure will play pivotal roles.
- Enhancing Direct Overland Access to Türkiye: Establishing the Zangezur link will elevate the functional efficiency of the Azerbaijan-Nakhchivan-Türkiye line, providing flexible transit options for cargo between Türkiye and Central Asia and deepening economic integration among Turkic states.
- Expanding International Partnership Platforms: Kazakhstan’s interest demonstrates that the Zangezur connection transcends bilateral Caucasus dynamics, possessing the potential to evolve into a multi-regional economic platform uniting Central Asia, the Caspian region, Türkiye, Europe, and international investors.
A crucial aspect of Kazakhstan’s interest lies in developing the Middle Corridor and the Zangezur connection not as competing routes, but as mutually supportive arteries. While the Middle Corridor facilitates transit from China and Central Asia across the Caspian to Azerbaijan, Georgia, Türkiye, and Europe, the Zangezur link adds a direct southern vector connecting Azerbaijan to Nakhchivan and Türkiye.
Astana’s strategy aligns with this multi-modal framework, aiming to increase transit redundancies, mitigate operational risks, and establish sustainable supply chain mechanisms to European consumer markets.
Beyond economic metrics, the TRIPP project holds significant geopolitical weight. The Joint Declaration signed on August 8, 2025, in Washington by the leaders of Azerbaijan, Armenia, and the United States established a new diplomatic framework for unblocking regional transport infrastructure.
Kazakhstan’s declared intent to join TRIPP represents a major development for Azerbaijan’s regional transport strategy. This interest allows the Zangezur link to be viewed not merely as a localized route, but as a potential component of an expanding Eurasian transport and logistics ecosystem. On a broader geoeconomic level, it underscores Azerbaijan’s vital role as a Caspian transit nexus, bridging eastern cargo origins with western markets, deepening Turkic economic integration, and fostering a more diversified Eurasian trade network.
