Turkey and Armenia advance toward direct trade as border preparations continue

In a notable step forward in bilateral relations, Turkey and Armenia have taken a concrete measure to enable direct trade, even as work to reopen their shared border remains ongoing.

On Wednesday, Turkish Foreign Ministry spokesperson Öncü Keçeli announced that bureaucratic preparations for direct trade were completed two days ago. He clarified that this does not mean the physical border has reopened – technical work on border infrastructure is still in progress.

What the change means in practice

Under the new arrangement, goods traveling between the two countries via third countries can now be documented with Turkey or Armenia listed as the actual country of origin or final destination. Previously, such shipments required indirect routing and reclassification, adding complexity and cost.

This adjustment simplifies customs procedures without yet establishing a fully open land border. It reduces administrative hurdles and political ambiguity for businesses on both sides.

Reactions from Armenia

Armenian officials welcomed the development as part of the broader normalization process. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Ani Badalyan described it as a positive outcome of ongoing efforts, highlighting its potential to boost trade, economic ties, connectivity, peace, and prosperity. She suggested it could pave the way for full border opening and the establishment of diplomatic relations.

Armenia’s Economy Ministry promptly informed local businesses of the change, noting that it should lower costs, shorten delivery times, and open new market opportunities for Armenian and Turkish companies.

Ruben Rubinyan, Armenia’s special representative for normalization with Turkey, emphasized that direct trade is now possible “in customs terms.” He confirmed that preparations for the land border – including the Gyumri-Kars railway – continue as part of the wider process.

Broader context

The move represents a pragmatic, technical advance in a normalization track that has progressed cautiously through incremental steps rather than dramatic breakthroughs. It fits into Turkey’s wider vision of enhancing economic connectivity and stability in the South Caucasus, while Armenia views it as a logical stage toward deeper relations.

Businesses now have a narrower but more practical channel for trade. If this arrangement proves effective, focus will likely shift to the next milestones: physical border opening, railway reactivation, and eventual diplomatic ties.

This development comes amid ongoing regional dynamics in the South Caucasus, where Turkey-Armenia talks intersect with broader connectivity and security priorities.

Turkey and Armenia have no formal diplomatic relations, and their shared land border has remained closed since 1993. The closure followed the First Nagorno-Karabakh War, when Turkey sided with Azerbaijan and imposed an economic blockade on Armenia.

The EU warmly welcomed the announcement by Turkey on initiation of bilateral trade with Armenia.

“This is a remarkable development in their normalisation process, also illustrated by the recent meeting of the bilateral working group to advance the restoration of rail connections between the two countries on 28 April 2026, which we welcomed”, the statement reads. It further says that this “significant step” has the potential to boost trade and economic opportunities between both countries, with a positive impact for the entire South Caucasus as well as the EU.

The original article by Bosphorus News can be found here.

Caption: AI-generated illustrative image.

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