The statement was issued on behalf of U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs Brendan Hanrahan, and the deputy foreign ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan, Vahan Kostanian and Elnur Mammadov.
The groups will bring together “policymakers and technical experts from our three countries to work collaboratively and contribute to long-term stability, economic vitality, regional connectivity, and commercial prosperity across the region,” the statement said.
It added that the parties had agreed to establish the first two trilateral planning groups focused on transportation and electricity transmission, “demonstrating a shared commitment to turn vision into tangible progress.”
The parties said the technical planning groups represent “a crucial step toward resolving complex technical issues and moving to the next phases of implementation, including connection with other regional infrastructures.”
“The sides reaffirmed their respective commitments to expeditious operationalization of all modalities of TRIPP,” the statement said.
TRIPP is a U.S.-Armenian infrastructure project intended to connect Azerbaijan with its western exclave of Nakhichevan through Armenia’s southern Syunik Province. It envisages the construction of a railway and highway, as well as oil and gas pipelines and electricity and internet lines.
The project is part of a broader agreement reached at an August 8, 2025 peace summit in Washington brokered by U.S. President Donald Trump. Under the declaration signed by Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, Armenia committed, in particular, to providing Azerbaijan with “unimpeded connectivity” to Nakhichevan through its territory.
Armenian and Azerbaijani specialists met in the Armenian town of Goris a month ago to discuss the installation of power transmission lines. In late October, a delegation of Armenian officials led by Deputy Prime Minister Mher Grigorian visited the planned TRIPP site to examine potential infrastructure routes.
“We visited the site to familiarize ourselves with the potential layout of the infrastructure in order to organize the start of design work. At this stage, we are talking about the routing of the railway, highway, and energy infrastructure,” Grigorian said at a subsequent cabinet meeting.
The Armenian parliament last week ratified the U.S.-Armenian strategic agreement on the project, despite concerns raised by the opposition.
Pashinian and his political allies have maintained that TRIPP will be implemented with “respect for the sovereignty, territorial integrity, and jurisdiction of the states.”
Armenian authorities say construction is expected to begin next year and argue that the project will benefit not only Armenia and Azerbaijan but also create new opportunities for other countries in the region.