Türkiye and Armenia signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to jointly restore the ancient Ani Bridge, which lies on their shared border. The agreement was finalized on May 4, 2026 [1].
The signing took place after Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Turkish Vice President Cevdet Yilmaz met on the sidelines of the 8th European Political Community Summit held in Yerevan, Armenia [1]. Ruben Rubinyan, serving as both Türkiye’s special envoy for normalization with Armenia and Yerevan's envoy for normalization with Ankara, signed the MoU on behalf of both countries [1].
The restoration project will focus on preserving the historic Ani Bridge, a symbol of shared heritage between the two nations [1]. During the meeting, Yilmaz said discussions also covered broader bilateral issues, including potential cooperation in transport, customs, energy, and digital infrastructure [1].
Yilmaz described the bridge agreement as an example of "symbolic and concrete cooperation" that could contribute to "lasting peace and an environment of trust" between Türkiye and Armenia [1].
The deal marks a concrete step in the normalization efforts between the countries, announced just after their leaders met during the summit in Yerevan on May 4, 2026 [1].
