In the middle of last week, Armenian Deputy Prime Minister Mher Grigoryan received Ari Lightstone, senior adviser to the US Special Envoy for Peacekeeping Missions. This meeting is noteworthy because Konstantin Sokolov, founder and president of Trans-Caspian Enterprises, took part in it. Trans-Caspian Enterprises is also called the TRIPP+ Enterprise Fund and is an investment fund created for strategic financing of private sector, infrastructure and transport initiatives in the South Caucasus. First of all, to finance the Trump's Route project.

The Armenian media tried to report the meeting modestly, so as not to attract special attention from the southern and northern neighbors. Although it is clear that her main goal was to introduce the Armenian government to the newly appointed head of TRIPP+ by Donald Trump. And it was TRIPP that was the main topic of discussion.

At the same time, it became known that the United States has increased the funding for the TRIPP+ fund from 201 million to 402 million dollars, i.e., doubled it. The American portal HigherGov emphasizes that Armenia is identified as the main recipient of the funds. The funds are intended for a period of almost 11 years — until December 31, 2036.

It should be recalled that on January 30, 2026, the Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs of the U.S. Department of State awarded the TRIPP+ fund a grant of $201 million. The fund itself was established on January 26, two weeks after the meeting in Washington between Ararat Mirzoyan and Marco Rubio. Mirzoyan and Rubio then signed a document providing for the creation of the TRIPP Development Company. The United States will own 74 percent of the shares in the company, and Armenia will own 26 percent.

Konstantin Sokolov, who has been appointed head of TRIPP+, is a private equity investor based in Chicago. He also owns a 20?percent stake in Viva Armenia, an Armenian mobile operator.

Interestingly, in the official register of companies in the state of Delaware, the fund is registered under the name Trans-Caspian Enterprise Fund — “Trans-Caspian Enterprise Fund”. That is, the company’s interests (read: Washington’s) are much broader than just the road through Meghri. It is expected that in the future the fund will also engage in investing in projects in Central Asia.

"Trump's Route" is gradually taking shape, despite opposition to the project both inside and outside the country. In Armenia, things are very complicated. Currently, according to Armenian media, the government faces the task of ensuring the ruling party's victory in the local government elections in Meghri, which will be held in October. Gaining control over the territory through which the future transport corridor will pass is so important that Nikol Pashinyan has taken the issue under his own control. The media quote the prime minister as saying that it is necessary to “fight tooth and nail so that a person from the government becomes the head of the community.” According to Pashinyan, issues related to TRIPP could fail if a pro?Russian person becomes the head of the community. The number one task is to find a person who is acceptable to the population so that the election results do not come as a surprise to them.

A casting call for selecting a candidate has already been announced. The current head of the community, Khachatur Andreasyan, a defector from the opposition camp, is not popular among the population and is generally considered a dubious figure. Therefore, the GD deemed it necessary to nominate a new candidate.

Samvel Karapetyan’s party is also preparing for these elections. Its goal is to thwart the TRIPP project and prevent the connection of Azerbaijan’s main territory with the NAR. So, in the elections to the local self?government bodies in Meghri, not only the issue of the community head will be decided, but also the future of Armenia.

The thing is that life in Armenia is communal in nature. Not to be confused with primitive?communal. The central government has less influence on the situation and processes than the local one. Especially if it is supported by the community members, i.e., the local population. On the eve of the last elections, Karapetyan’s party conducted extensive campaigning in this area, imposing toxic narratives on citizens regarding Azerbaijan, borders, and the Zangezur corridor. If a revanchist becomes the head of the community, rallies against the implementation of TRIPP will become as mandatory as morning exercises.

In short, you can’t envy Nikol Pashinyan.