Construction of TRIPP does not require billion-dollar investments — the maximum investment volume is about $100 million. This was stated by Armenia’s second president, Robert Kocharyan, in an interview with “Channel 5,” commenting on government claims about alleged $9 billion investments through the “Trump Route.”

“If the TRIPP project is not expanded to include the road to Yeraskh and does not provide Armenia–Iran railway connectivity, it will become merely an insignificant transit, from which Armenia will gain nothing. TRIPP is an American project on Armenian territory for Azerbaijan and Turkey. Armenia will not even use this minimal transit because it is one-sided. It is a gift from the U.S. to Aliyev, but Armenia and the Armenian people are delivering this gift. It is unclear why the current government is doing everything to make Armenia dependent. No one talks about the fact that Armenia has another railway option with Russia — Yerevan–Tbilisi–Sochi–Krasnodar–Tuapse–Moscow. This railway exists but does not operate due to the Georgia–Abkhazia conflict. It is 600–700 km shorter than the route through Azerbaijan. Passenger service could also be launched on this route. Once this path opens, no cargo will go through Azerbaijan, not even a single wagon. Ignoring this is simply a crime. Restoring it would require very little funding,” Kocharyan said.

He recalled that in 2003, during his presidency, sequential efforts were made to launch this railway.

“The Georgian side responded positively and said that if we can convince the Abkhaz side, they will support it. I contacted the president of Abkhazia, whom I knew well. He was already ill, but the response was positive. However, negotiations were interrupted after Saakashvili came to power. Now is the right time to resume discussions on opening the Yerevan–Tbilisi–Sochi–Tuapse–Krasnodar–Moscow railway. This is the most favorable moment. First, Georgia sees that it could lose a significant portion of Armenian transit if it goes through Azerbaijan, so in conditions of competition, it has a much stronger interest in opening this railway — this aligns with its economic interests. Second, today Georgia, aspiring to EU membership, is under certain pressure after refusing to open a second front against Russia in connection with the war in Ukraine. This is a very realistic direction.

This is beneficial for everyone — both Russia and Turkey, because Turkey would get a significantly shorter railway connection to Russia. For Armenia, this is just like a dream. It is a fully realistic project that must be pursued,” the second president said.