The land border between Türkiye and Armenia has been closed since 1993. Despite this, bilateral trade has not stopped but has been rerouted. Turkish goods destined for Armenia cross into Georgia, travel across Georgian territory, and enter Armenia from the north. The same happens in reverse. This detour adds cost, time, and bureaucratic burden to every shipment. And it distorts the trade statistics of both countries.

A recent step in the normalization process between the two countries has brought this issue into sharper focus. Türkiye’s Ministry of Trade announced that Armenia will henceforth be recorded as the terminal country in Turkish export declarations. Until now, because goods physically crossed the Turkish-Georgian border, they were often labeled as exports to Georgia. This was a labeling issue rather than an absence of trade, because Turkish companies were already exporting to Armenia, although the official data did not capture it. The change is modest but meaningful: it is one of the most concrete outcomes of the diplomatic normalization process that has been underway since 2022.

Türkiye – Armenia Normalization Process

The normalization process between Türkiye and Armenia has been ongoing since the end of 2021 and gained momentum in 2022 with the mutual appointment of special representatives. Türkiye appointed Ambassador Serdar Kılıç, while Armenia appointed Ruben Rubinyan, Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly, and bilateral talks have continued as part of a gradual, confidence-building process. The two sides agreed in July 2022 to open the land border to third-country nationals and to commence direct air cargo trade; however, the implementation of these measures has remained gradual, and the land border has not yet been opened for regular crossings. Turkish Airlines launched direct flights between Istanbul and Yerevan in 2026, marking an important step in improving connectivity between the two countries. More recently, the normalization agenda has expanded beyond mobility to include infrastructure, connectivity and symbolic cooperation. In 2024 and 2025, the parties discussed the operationalization of the Akyaka/Akhurik railway border gate, the rehabilitation of the Kars-Gyumri railway and electricity interconnector, visa facilitation for diplomatic and official passport holders, and cooperation in culture and academia. In May 2026, Türkiye and Armenia also signed a memorandum of understanding on the joint restoration of the historic Ani Bridge, located on the border between the two countries.

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