In the context of the TRIPP project, the greatest concern is the lack of a clear political strategy from the United States regarding the South Caucasus. This view is held by international relations expert Suren Sargsyan.
According to him, the issue of having a strategy is critically important in this region. Sargsyan noted that, as a rule, the U.S. develops long-term strategies for regions it considers key and uses them to guide its foreign policy. For example, there is a detailed strategy for Central Asia that outlines priority policy directions, key interests, and the sequence of actions for the American side. The absence of a similar strategy for the South Caucasus creates uncertainty and potential risks for regional stability:
“In general, no U.S. president has developed a comprehensive strategy for Armenia and the South Caucasus. Every president publishes a national security strategy—a document of key importance for implementing foreign policy in the coming years. Never has it been stated in such documents that the South Caucasus holds strategic importance for the U.S. During the Clinton and Biden administrations, only the importance of resolving conflicts in the South Caucasus was mentioned. This indicates that the U.S. essentially has no strategic interests in our region”.
In the absence of strategic interests, only priority objectives remain, such as containing Russia and Iran in the region, countering the restoration of their influence, and attempting to balance their influence by increasing Turkey’s role. However, none of this is considered a “strategic goal.”
“The term ‘strategic’ is not used in relation to our region. If the TRIPP project becomes a reality, it will not be a strategic step but rather a business presence,” the expert emphasized, adding that in the future, under certain circumstances, such a presence could transform into a strategic one, but at the moment, it is not.