I do not know the exact date when work on the “Trump Route” project will begin on the ground, but I know that even today an event was held in Washington, attended by representatives from Armenia, the US, Azerbaijan, and other interested companies to speak about cooperation within the framework of this project. Laura Linderman, Director of Programs and Senior Fellow at Central Asia-Caucasus Institute of the American Foreign Policy Council, said this in an interview with Armenian News-NEWS.am on Wednesday.

Responding to the remark that these issues are being discussed not only with Armenia but also with Azerbaijan, she agreed, and said that in Washington, interested companies, American companies are meeting with representatives of the business sectors of Azerbaijan and Armenia.

Regarding how the “Trump Route” will align and interact with other regional transport initiatives, such as China’s Belt and Road Initiative, Linderman noted that the more transit corridors there are connecting the Caucasus with Central Asia and Europe, and also connecting north to south, the better. According to her, this means more economic integration for Armenia, which will mean more jobs and a better future for Armenians living in Armenia, and she is very positive about the additional corridors.

Asked how the “Trump Route” will change the situation in the South Caucasus, not only economically but also geopolitically, Linderman replied that she believes this is a game-changing initiative and could be quite good for the South Caucasus in the future, because the more the South Caucasus can cooperate, the stronger they will be in dealing with difficult neighbors in any region. So, it gives them more leverage for economic integration and to have strong routes through the region, she added.

Regarding which company will manage the operations of the “Trump Route,” Linderman said as she understands it, it is about various international companies from Europe, Central Asia, and the United States. So, she believes that various companies will work on the ‘Trump Route.’”

And addressing whether Russia will be in any way integrated into this process, Laura Linderman, responded that she does not think Russia will be integrated into this corridor process at all, but perhaps they have other corridors they are working on with Armenia, such as the North–South corridor.