It's not a holiday, it's not a festival... Why did Trump become an 'Angel of Peace'?

When Marco Polo set out on the Silk Road in the 13th century, carrying spices and silk on horseback, he probably never imagined that centuries later this route would become Donald Trump’s political billboard. Back then, there were goods carried by caravans; today, there are millions of tons of cargo to be transported by rail. Back then, there were caravanserais; today, there are billion-euro loans. But the only thing that hasn't changed is this: at the end of the road, the merchant wins, and the people who sweep the road lose again.

Recently, Armenia and Azerbaijan signed a peace protocol. And who do you think was at the table? Yes, Trump. Posing as a peace envoy, in the front row. As we say in our country: “It’s not a holiday, it’s not a festival, so why did my uncle kiss me?” It’s exactly like that. The man who was building walls and starting fights on social media until yesterday has turned into an “angel of peace” today. But beneath this kiss lie not pure emotions, but billion-dollar logistics calculations.

Look at the picture: Turkey has broken ground on a massive railway project that will start in Kars, extend to Nakhchivan, and from there connect China to England. This line, called the “Zangezur Corridor,” will have the capacity to carry 5.5 million passengers and 15 million tons of cargo annually. Turkey has allocated 2.4 billion euros to the project. The financing involves major players like Japan’s MUFG Bank, Sweden’s EKN, Austria’s OeKB, and the Islamic Development Bank. In other words, the big players are involved. That is the reason Trump is sitting at the table: it’s not peace, it’s trade.

Moreover, the name of the line is also flashy: “Trump International Peace and Prosperity Line.” How sentimental, isn't it? Don't be surprised if a “Trump Cigkofte Corridor” or “Trump Baklava Express” opens tomorrow or the next day. If the man wrote his name on toilet paper, the world would almost market it as a “trade revolution.”

Let’s ask: Who will gain what from this project?

Turkey will become the main bridge for east-west logistics and increase its strategic power. Azerbaijan and Nakhchivan will strengthen their economic and political integration. Armenia will open its long-closed gates and generate transit revenue. The USA will get its hands on the region’s commercial arteries under the mask of a “peace project.”

In short, America is playing its classic game again. Whenever it says “peace,” know that a new corridor is being opened there. Whenever it shouts “democracy,” know that a new base is being established there. Trump’s “angel of peace” poses are just the poster for the same game.

But the question that falls to us at the end of the day is this: What will fall onto our tables from the burden of these massive projects? How many kilograms of that 15 million tons of cargo will end up in our pockets? Or will we continue to weigh tomatoes at the market while billions of euros quietly leave the coffers in the name of “international peace”?

Marco Polo had silk on his back; Trump has a silk handkerchief in his hand. But there is no trace of peace on that handkerchief, only the glimmer of the dollar. The Silk Road is being rebuilt, yes. But even if they write “Peace Line” on the sign, you should turn and read the fine print: “Sponsored by the USA.”