Pashinyan: Establishing diplomatic relations with Turkey and opening the border are just a matter of time
"I think it will happen. How quickly is another matter. I think we are approaching the moment when we will have full diplomatic relations, open borders, economic and political cooperation, and we will be normal neighbors. I am confident that this moment is approaching, but I don't know exactly when," Pashinyan said.
Although Turkey was one of the first countries to recognize Armenia’s independence from the former Soviet Union, the countries have no diplomatic ties and Turkey shut down their common border in 1993, in a show of solidarity with Azerbaijan which was locked in a conflict with Armenia over the Nagorno-Karabakh region
On September 12, 2025, Ruben Rubinyan and Serdar Kılıç Armenian and Turkish representatives for normalization of relations . had their sixth meeting in Armenia's capital. They reviewed past agreements and reiterated their commitment to advancing the normalization process without preconditions.
A key focus of the September meeting was expediting the implementation of an agreement to open the land border to third-country citizens. This agreement was originally reached in July 2022.
The envoys agreed to fast-track technical studies for the rehabilitation and operationalization of the Kars-Gyumri railway and an electricity interconnector. They also discussed the joint renovation of the historic Silk Road (Ani) Bridge.
The representatives agreed to work toward increasing air routes between the two countries, with new flights potentially starting in the summer of 2026.
In late October 2025, Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan spoke positively about the "intensive dialogue" with Turkey, which includes meetings between top leaders like Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. Mirzoyan expressed optimism for tangible results in the near future.
The Armenian government is currently evaluating the potential economic impacts of reopening the border, including on trade volume. Early estimates suggest bilateral trade could significantly increase. -0-
