“Armenia pursues a multi-vector foreign policy, which we describe as balanced and well-considered,” Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan stated at the SCO Plus (Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Plus) format meeting in Bishkek.
“The essence of this policy is as follows: when the gravitational pull of any geopolitical pole increases to the point where it could compromise our independence, we step up relations with another pole that possesses sufficient gravitational pull in that situation to maintain balance along the challenging path of strengthening our sovereignty and independence.
The primary goal of such a policy is to preserve and strengthen sovereignty and independence. In developing these strategies, we came to the conclusion that it is impossible to possess independence and sovereignty while living under conditions of conflict. In this sense, multipolarity must manifest itself primarily in the region where you live.
That is precisely why, while strengthening friendly relations with neighboring Iran and Georgia, we are seeking ways to establish interstate relations with our other two neighbors—Azerbaijan and Turkey.”
Pashinyan also emphasized that this policy is taking on a more tangible character thanks to the peace established between Yerevan and Baku on August 8, 2026, with the participation of US President Donald Trump.
“We are currently working with Azerbaijan and Turkey to open interstate communications, including through the implementation of the TRIPP project. Practical on-the-ground work for its implementation will begin in the coming months.
This will unlock new transit opportunities not only from East to West—that is, from the Caspian Sea to the Mediterranean Sea—but also from North to South, linking the Persian Gulf with the Black Sea. Thus, all countries in the region will benefit from the project’s implementation.”
Nikol Pashinyan added that he also plans to discuss the “strategy for the further development of our relations” with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Prime Minister Pashinyan delivered his address at the summit in Armenian for the first time.