Steps in the Turkey–Armenia normalization process continue. Officials from the two countries, who previously had met to discuss railway restoration projects, met once again in Yerevan, this time to discuss the historic Ani Bridge.
This second meeting of the Armenia–Turkey Joint Working Group on the Restoration of the Historic Ani Bridge was held in Yerevan on 4 August 2026.
During the meeting, the parties emphasized the importance of the Protocol on the Joint Restoration of the Historic Ani Bridge, which had been signed on 4 May 2026, in Yerevan.
The protocol had been signed on 4 May 2026 at the European Political Community Summit in Yerevan by Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Turkish Vice President Cevdet Yılmaz.
At the last meeting, the parties agreed to continue their efforts to implement the signed protocol as soon as possible.
At the summit in Yerevan, Turkish Vice President Cevdet Yılmaz made the following remarks after signing the protocols with Pashinyan:
"We believe that symbolic and tangible areas of cooperation, such as the joint restoration of the Ani Bridge, which we have formalized today through a memorandum of understanding, will also contribute to a lasting environment of peace and trust. On the basis of regional peace, dialogue, and stability, we will continue with determination our approach to advancing normalization in the South Caucasus, increasing economic cooperation, and strengthening contacts between our peoples. I hope today's meeting will bring positive outcomes, and I thank Mr. Pashinyan for his gracious hospitality."
