Turkey reportedly considering reopening border with Armenia within six months

(Horizon Weekly) – Turkey is reportedly weighing the possibility of reopening its land border with Armenia in the next six months, Bloomberg has reported, citing its sources. Neither Yerevan nor Ankara has issued a public comment.

The speculation follows intensified contacts in recent weeks. Armenia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that officials from both countries met at the Akhurik–Akyaka crossing and in Gyumri, where they held a second round of technical discussions on restoring and operating the Gyumri–Kars railway.

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said in October that Armenia’s dialogue with Turkey gives hope that the border may open in the near future. Since the launch of the normalization track in January 2022, the special representatives of the two sides have held several meetings.

Turkey, however, continues to link normalization to the conclusion of an Armenia and Azerbaijan peace agreement. Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan recently stated that opening the border before such an agreement would remove Armenia’s incentive to finalize a treaty with Baku and could create a new frozen conflict in the region.

The European Union is also closely monitoring regional diplomacy. Following her meeting with the Turkish Foreign Minister, EU Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos said their discussion focused on intensifying efforts to reach an Armenia and Azerbaijan peace deal and on the broader need to stabilize the region.

Although officials speak of progress, the wider context remains more complex. The normalization process continues through technical steps and carefully managed public messaging, yet the core issues that have shaped Armenian and Turkish relations for decades, including deep historical and security concerns, remain unaddressed. For many observers, this creates the sense of a process that is moving forward in form while its foundations are still unsettled in substance.