Armenia and Türkiye are close to establishing diplomatic relations and fully reopening their shared border, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has said, pointing to recent progress in bilateral ties and a positive meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.

Speaking at the Institute of International and European Affairs in Dublin, Pashinyan said relations between the two countries had undergone tangible changes in recent years, including in trade.

He noted that Türkiye had opened its transport routes to Armenian exports and imports, allowing goods to move through Georgia, although the two countries' shared land border remains closed.

“This is a real change in the situation. I am confident that in the near future we will achieve full normalization of relations with Türkiye,” Pashinyan said.

Referring to his recent meeting with Erdoğan, the Armenian prime minister described the talks as “very positive” and said both leaders had acknowledged the progress made toward normalizing relations.

“We have made progress and are very close to the final step: establishing diplomatic relations and fully opening the borders,” he said.

Pashinyan emphasized that developing good-neighborly relations with countries in the region was a key priority of Armenia’s foreign policy.

He added that while Armenia sought to deepen cooperation with international partners, it should also maintain a strong focus on its immediate neighborhood. (ILKHA)