MOSCOW - Russia has proposed that Armenia restore two railway sections near its borders with Azerbaijan’s Nakhchivan exclave and Türkiye, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexey Overchuk said.
The proposal covers the line from Yeraskh to the border with Nakhchivan and the line from Gyumri to the Turkish border. Both sections are included in the railway concession held by Russian Railways, and Moscow says it is ready to take part in restoration work while awaiting a decision from Yerevan.
Restoring the Yeraskh section could reestablish a rail connection between mainland Azerbaijan and Nakhchivan through Armenian territory. Reopening the Gyumri section could restore Armenia’s rail connection with Türkiye.
Overchuk said a decision had been taken at the presidential level in January and that “important meetings” were expected, but he did not give a date or identify the participants.
Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan asked Russia in December 2025 to accelerate work on the lines. He later said Armenia could seek to reclaim the sections from the concession, potentially through arbitration, if restoration did not move forward.
Russian Railways chief Oleg Belozerov has said the company intends to meet its obligations and would expect a return on its investment if the terms of the concession change. Russian Railways investments and South Caucasus Railway revenue from 2008 through 2025 totaled about $396.3 million, according to the report.
No construction schedule, project cost or technical specifications have been agreed publicly.