Kavkaz

Turkey seeks to position itself as a key peacemaker and regional hub in the South Caucasus. To achieve this, Ankara should move beyond nationalist rhetoric toward a more pragmatic, strategic approach rooted in the international legal order. Armenia-Azerbaijan-Turkey relations resemble the proverbial Gordian knot—the famous tangled rope in an ancient …

Over the past two decades, regional collaboration in the South Caucasus has intensified. Turkey and the EU should establish a cooperation framework to accelerate economic development and diversification. Russia’s declining influence in the South Caucasus since the start of the war in Ukraine has opened a window of opportunity to …

The U.S.-sponsored TRIPP deal is driving the Armenia-Azerbaijan peace process forward. But foreign and domestic hurdles remain before connectivity and economic interdependence can open up the South Caucasus. For more than three decades, the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict has exerted human, economic, and political tolls on both countries. In 2026, thanks to …

In an interview, Sergei Melkonian discusses Armenia’s and Azerbaijan’s careful balancing act among the United States, Israel, and Iran. Armenak Tokmajyan: How have Armenia and Azerbaijan responded so far to the U.S.–Israeli war on Iran, given their need to maintain good working relations with their large neighbor while avoiding antagonizing …

2026 pourrait être une année déterminante pour l’avenir de l’Arménie, et ce n’est pas une figure de style mais la réalité d’un pays qui, après la perte définitive de l’Artsakh et la purification ethnique qui s’est achevée dans cette région historiquement arménienne, se trouve aujourd’hui à négocier non pas la …

Les États-Unis ne se retirent pas réellement des scènes stratégiques : ils modifient leur approche. Si l’intervention directe semble aujourd’hui plus coûteuse et risquée, il reste des outils tels que l’influence politique, les alliances ciblées, la présence militaire sélective et le contrôle des infrastructures clés. C’est dans cette logique qu’il …

The U.S. is using diplomatic and economic carrots to project influence in a region that Russia has long regarded as its backyard. Vice President JD Vance visited Armenia and Azerbaijan from February 9 to 11, making him the highest-level U.S. official to visit either country. The trip signaled a sharper …

Straddling the narrow land bridge between West Asia, the Caucasus, and Central Asia, Armenia has long functioned as more than a small, landlocked state. The southern province of Syunik forms the only direct connection between Iran and the north, while also sitting on the fault line between Turkish, Azerbaijani, Russian, …

The EU lacks leadership and strategic planning in the South Caucasus, while the United States is leading the charge. To secure its geopolitical interests, Brussels must invest in new connectivity for the region. To promote the planned new Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity (TRIPP) across the South Caucasus, …

Russia’s influence in the South Caucasus has decreased in recent years. Well beyond Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and long-term trends, two factors in particular help understanding why things have changed Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Azerbaijan’s war with Armenia over Nagorno-Karabakh, and the authoritarian turn in Georgia have all contributed to …