Yerevan / Tbilisi — Hundreds of Armenian trucks carrying fruit and agricultural goods to Russia have been turned back at the Upper Lars checkpoint, forced to return through Georgia to Armenia.
Opposition MP Garnik Danielyan said the vehicles, loaded with plums, peaches, and grapes, were denied entry without clear explanation. Drivers were reportedly told only of “sanitary problems,” while other cargo shipments were subjected to strict inspections delaying access to Russia.
“This will cause enormous damage to farmers and rural households who depend on agricultural trade,” Danielyan warned.
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The sudden disruption comes just weeks after Armenia and Azerbaijan signed a historic peace agreement in Washington, brokered by U.S. President Donald Trump. One of the key provisions is the creation of the Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity (TRIPP) — a transit corridor through Armenia’s Syunik region connecting western Azerbaijan to Nakhchivan.
Moscow has taken a cautious stance. Deputy Prime Minister Alexei Overchuk said Russia supports Yerevan “if the corridor provides security guarantees,” but admitted there are “nuances” requiring clarification with both Baku and Yerevan.
The Russian Foreign Ministry also noted that Armenia’s membership in the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) and the presence of Russian border guards along its frontier with Iran complicate the project.
Both Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and President Ilham Aliyev hailed TRIPP as a breakthrough that could unlock long-term strategic economic opportunities. But the blocked fruit trucks highlight a harsh reality: even as new trade corridors are promised, Armenia’s traditional export lifelines to Russia remain fragile and vulnerable to sudden disruption.
