Grono says Armenia-Azerbaijan peace process strengthens South Caucasus' role

The peace process between Armenia and Azerbaijan is opening up new strategic opportunities and strengthening the South Caucasus' role as a key link between Europe and Central Asia.

Magdalena Grono, the European Union's special representative for the South Caucasus and the crisis in Georgia, made the remarks at the Yerevan Dialogue 2026 conference, Report informs via Armenian media.

According to her, the new momentum that emerged after the Washington summit gives the region additional importance in the context of cooperation with the Middle East.

Grono said the South Caucasus is becoming an "island of stability" amid major conflicts, while the Middle Corridor project is showing significant growth. Freight volumes have increased fourfold since 2022 and could triple further by 2030, she said.

The special representative stressed that transport connectivity should be inclusive and take into account the interests of all countries in the region. In this regard, the EU is discussing infrastructure projects, including the TRIPP initiative, also known as the Trump Route, with both Yerevan and Baku.

Grono said the peace process between Armenia and Azerbaijan has indeed been an incredibly strong process, in which external players provided important support, but added that, in the end, the decisive factor was the responsibility taken by Baku and Yerevan.