NEW YORK — The Trump administration organized a special event in New York aimed at translating diplomatic progress between Armenia and Azerbaijan into economic and infrastructure projects, bringing together senior regional diplomats, U.S. officials and executives from more than 40 companies to discuss the next steps for the Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity (TRIPP).

The event, held on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly, was attended by U.S. presidential special envoy Steve Witkoff, Republican Senator Steve Daines of Montana, and representatives from Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia and the five Central Asian states.

Discussions focused on moving TRIPP from the political agreement reached at the White House in August 2025 into the practical implementation phase, including financing, the establishment of institutional mechanisms and infrastructure planning.

Washington envisions TRIPP as a multimodal corridor running through southern Armenia that would connect Azerbaijan with the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic while also creating a broader east-west link between the South Caucasus, Central Asia and Western markets.

The section running through Armenian territory, measuring slightly less than 43 kilometers, is expected to include railway and highway connections, energy infrastructure and digital communications links.

U.S. officials, however, emphasized that construction has not yet begun and that feasibility studies must first be completed.

The administration expects to begin identifying companies and investment opportunities for the project by the end of 2026 or early 2027.

Witkoff emphasized that the project is intended to be more than a transportation link, describing it as an economic continuation of the peace process. He said the process moved forward when President Donald Trump personally encouraged the leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan to reach an agreement.