Baku-Tbilisi-Kars: a new logistic corridor connecting Asia and Europe
The official ceremony marking the launch of the full-scale operation of the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars (BTK) railway line, which will become an important transit corridor between Asia and Europe bypassing Russia, took place in Georgia.
High-ranking officials from Turkey, Georgia, and Azerbaijan participated in the event. Turkey’s Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Abdulkadir Uraloğlu expressed his gratitude to the Georgian government for organizing the ceremony and emphasized the strategic importance of the project. According to him, the BTK railway line is a key element of the so-called “Middle Corridor” and since 2017 has been strengthening transport connectivity between the two continents. This project will help significantly reduce dependence on Russian transit routes and reshape the map of Eurasian freight transport.
Uraloğlu highlighted that involving infrastructural work has enabled a transition to a new phase aimed at more efficient corridor operation. He also noted that changes in global logistics chains and instability in maritime routes underscore the importance of such overland transport corridors like the BTK for the stability of global trade.
This initiative is part of Turkey’s broader strategy to develop its position as a logistic hub between Europe and Asia. Besides the BTK, the country is implementing other infrastructure projects, including Marmaray and the Halkalı-Kapikule railway.
Analysts assert that strengthening these routes could have geopolitical implications, including weakening the Russian Federation’s influence in the region. It is also worth noting the improvement of trade relations in the region: Armenia and Azerbaijan are gradually building economic ties, which could potentially contribute to peace and economic cooperation in the South Caucasus.
