According to Lekso Aleksishvili, founder of PMCG Research Center, some expert assessments regarding the so-called “Trump Route” (TRIPP) are exaggerated, particularly the claim that Georgia would lose its role in the Middle Corridor once the project becomes operational. Speaking on BMG TV’s program Analytics, he argued that Georgia’s geographic position ensures its continued relevance, although TRIPP would clearly emerge as a competitor to the Baku–Tbilisi–Kars (BTK) railway.
Aleksishvili said TRIPP should be viewed through both geopolitical and transport lenses. He noted that the project’s geopolitical significance lies in the United States taking an active role in ensuring regional stability, while its transport function would link Azerbaijan’s mainland with Nakhchivan via Armenia, with further connections toward Turkey. He added that reopening long-closed regional rail links could reshape logistics flows, including routes that have been inactive for nearly a century.
At the same time, he stressed that the BTK railway is currently underutilized due to insufficient cargo volumes, meaning it does not operate at full capacity. In his view, if TRIPP becomes operational and integrates Azerbaijan, Armenia, and Turkey more directly, it could redirect certain transit flows and act as a direct competitor to BTK, particularly given its strategic positioning.
Aleksishvili also emphasized that the Middle Corridor is not a single-country project but a complex multinational transport chain requiring coordination, harmonization, and institutional alignment among participating states. He said Georgia, along with regional partners and Central Asian countries, must act more quickly and improve connectivity infrastructure, including the Black Sea submarine cable and rail harmonization, to fully capitalize on the corridor’s long-term potential.
