Exclusive
Direct Turkey-Armenia land trade to begin amid US-led Caucasus peace push
New transit arrangement via Georgia cuts re-export costs, marking accelerating normalization between Ankara and Yerevan amid broader US-led peace efforts.
ANKARA — Turkey and Armenia have agreed to allow direct bilateral land trade via Georgia, removing a decades-old re-export mechanism, two trade-sector sources with knowledge of the move told Al-Monitor.
The development comes as Ankara ramps up efforts to normalize ties with Yerevan amid broader US-led regional peace efforts in the South Caucasus.
Turkey and Armenia have no formal diplomatic relations, and their border has remained closed since 1993. But the two capitals launched normalization talks in 2022 in a bid to open borders and ultimately establish formal diplomatic ties.
Economic detente
