Türkiye and Armenia have agreed to restore the historic Ani Bridge, in a move described as “symbolic and concrete cooperation” by Turkish Vice President Cevdet Yilmaz.

The memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed on Monday (4 May) on the sidelines of the 8th European Political Community Summit in Yerevan, following talks between Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Turkish Vice President Cevdet Yilmaz.

The agreement was formalised by the countries’ special envoys for normalisation, Serdar Kilic and Ruben Rubinyan.

It centres on the restoration of the Ani Bridge, which stands on the border and once connected the medieval city of Ani with surrounding regions.

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For many, the structure carries both historical and emotional weight. Its restoration is being seen as more than a technical project, offering a rare point of cooperation after decades of strained ties.

In a statement, Yilmaz said the two sides had “comprehensively evaluated” their relationship and explored cooperation in transport, customs, energy and digital infrastructure.

He described the bridge agreement as an example of “symbolic and concrete cooperation” that could help build “lasting peace and an environment of trust.”

Yilmaz added that Türkiye would continue efforts to normalise relations with Armenia, with a focus on expanding economic links and encouraging contact between people across the South Caucasus.

The meeting in Yerevan marked Türkiye’s highest-level representation in Armenia since 2008, underlining a shift in diplomatic engagement.

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