ArmInfo. Armenia does not intend to unilaterally terminate the concession agreement with SCR (South Caucasus Railway CJSC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Russian Railways OJSC), but continues to negotiate on this issue to gain competitive advantages for the full implementation of the government's "crossroads" concept. This is precisely the context in which the Armenian Prime Minister's ambiguous statement, made at a briefing with journalists today, can be interpreted.
Pashinyan noted that Armenia could theoretically terminate the agreement unilaterally, but the issue is currently being discussed in the context of negotiations, not an immediate termination. He also emphasized that the country's government will not make decisions that would not serve the interests of the Russian Federation. "No one has threatened or is threatening anyone; the parties are seeking a rational solution," he emphasized.
It should be noted that in an interview with TASS today, following yesterday's meeting between Pashinyan and Putin in Moscow, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexei Overchuk stated that selling the concession could lead to the loss of Russian interests and did not confirm negotiations on transferring management to Kazakhstan, which has been discussed repeatedly without official confirmation. "There are no objective reasons for selling the concession of the South Caucasus Railway (SCR, a subsidiary of Russian Railways) to a third party," he noted.
Since the beginning of 2026, the Armenian prime minister has proposed that Russia sell the concession to a partner "friendly to both countries." Kazakhstan, the UAE, and Qatar have been named as possible candidates. According to independent observers, the Armenian government's position stems from the demands of its Western partners, primarily the United States, within the framework of the TRIPP (Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity) project-a US strategic initiative to create the most effective branch of the so-called "middle corridor" linking Central Asian countries with Europe through Armenia's southern border with Iran.
It should be noted that the concession agreement between Armenia and Russia was signed on February 13, 2008, for a period of 30 years, with the option of an additional 10-year extension. Since the concession's inception in 2008, Russia's total investment in Armenia's railway infrastructure has amounted to nearly $400 million.
