When Will the Armenian-Turkish Border Open for Third Country Citizens? Responses from the Armenian Foreign Ministry

There is currently no specific timeline for the opening of the Armenian-Turkish border for citizens of third countries. This was indicated in a statement from the Armenian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) in response to inquiries from Sputnik Armenia.

Earlier, Bloomberg reported, citing sources, that Turkey is considering the possibility of opening its land border with Armenia within the next six months. At the same time, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan stated that Ankara is prepared to take 'symbolic steps' towards the normalization of relations with Yerevan by 2026.

The website had sent an inquiry to the office of the Prime Minister of Armenia, requesting an assessment of the current phase of Armenian-Turkish relations, potential timelines for the opening of the border and the first checkpoint, as well as the expected economic effects. Additionally, it inquired whether preparations were being made for a possible visit of the Turkish president to Armenia.

In response, the MFA noted that there have been several public comments regarding these inquiries, highlighting Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan's speech on December 9, as well as Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan's remarks during the OSCE ministerial meeting and the international conference “Orbeli: Building Peace and Multilateral Cooperation.” The ministry suggested that the matter of the Turkish president's potential visit and participation in the European Political Community summit in May 2026 should be considered in the context of the Prime Minister’s speech on November 4 and the responses given by the Foreign Minister in the National Assembly on October 27.