Türkiye and Armenia are holding direct negotiations on reopening their shared border, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said on Thursday, describing the talks as part of wider efforts to normalise relations between the two neighbours after decades of hostility.
“Armenia’s borders may be opened not only through Türkiye, but also in other directions. I believe the Armenia-Türkiye border will be opened,” Pashinyan told a press briefing in Yerevan.
Türkiye was among the first countries to recognise Armenia’s independence after the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, but closed its frontier and cut diplomatic ties in 1993, backing its ally Azerbaijan during the war over Nagorno-Karabakh. The border has remained shut since, and relations have been marked by mutual mistrust and sporadic attempts at rapprochement.
Diplomatic contacts gained momentum following the 2020 war, which ended with Azerbaijan regaining large parts of Karabakh and surrounding territories. Both Ankara and Yerevan appointed special envoys in 2021 to pursue normalization, while direct charter flights between the two countries were also resumed.
The two governments have in recent years discussed confidence-building measures, including allowing Armenian citizens to enter Türkiye through third countries and easing trade restrictions. But the opening of the border – a key demand for Armenia – has remained elusive, largely tied to progress in peace talks between Yerevan and Baku.
Ankara welcomed the signing of a declaration in Washington on Aug. 8, which both Armenia and Azerbaijan described as a step toward a final peace agreement. Türkiye has consistently linked the restoration of ties with Armenia to reconciliation between Yerevan and Baku.
Pashinyan’s comments come as his government seeks to diversify regional ties, improve transport links and open what it calls an “era of peace” in the South Caucasus, where geopolitical rivalry between Russia, the West, and regional powers continues to shape events.