Ankara, September 7
Turkey and Armenia are set to hold their first meeting at the level of official delegations, according to Turkish broadcaster NTV, cited by Report.
The talks are expected to take place early next week. Officials plan to review steps already agreed upon and discuss new measures aimed at normalizing bilateral relations. The Turkish delegation will be led by Serdar Kılıç, Ankara’s special envoy for normalization with Armenia, while Yerevan is represented by Ruben Rubinyan, deputy speaker of the Armenian parliament.
Although Turkey and Armenia share a long and contested history, formal diplomatic ties remain suspended. The border between the two countries has been closed since 1993, and previous reconciliation initiatives collapsed under political pressure. In recent years, however, cautious steps have been taken: limited air travel between Yerevan and Istanbul resumed, and the appointment of special envoys signaled renewed political will.
The normalization track is also closely tied to the broader Armenia–Azerbaijan peace process. Ankara has consistently linked full reconciliation with Yerevan to progress in Armenian–Azerbaijani negotiations, particularly after the 2020 and 2023 rounds of conflict reshaped the regional balance. As Baku and Yerevan move toward a final peace treaty, observers note that improved Turkey–Armenia relations could reinforce stability in the South Caucasus.
The upcoming meeting marks the first time official delegations will sit down face-to-face, raising cautious expectations of concrete steps in one of the region’s most protracted disputes.
