Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan faces blistering accusations of national betrayal over a draft US-brokered peace agreement granting Washington exclusive rights to develop the strategic Zangezur Corridor.
Sources confirm the transit route, rebranded the “Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity”, will be formalised on Friday during a White House summit with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, triggering protests in Yerevan denouncing the deal as territorial surrender.
The controversial framework designates the United States as primary developer of the corridor connecting mainland Azerbaijan to its Nakhchivan exclave via Armenian territory. Though subject to Armenian legislation, Washington will sublease land to a private consortium for infrastructure management, a concession critics argue erodes sovereignty.
The declaration of intent includes a joint request to dissolve the OSCE Minsk Group, the Russia-France-US mediation body active since 1992. The move symbolically ends three decades of tripartite diplomacy while cementing America’s dominant role in South Caucasus security architecture.
The 45km corridor’s development rights reportedly extend 99 years, with US firms securing preferential bidding status for rail and highway projects. While Pashinyan’s government emphasises potential economic benefits, leaked diplomatic cables reveal Azerbaijani assurances of unimpeded military transit through the zone.
Turkey emerges as a silent beneficiary, gaining direct land access to Azerbaijan via Nakhchivan. Analysts note the deal aligns with Ankara’s Zangezur Corridor advocacy since 2021, though President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan declined comment ahead of signing.
