
Latest Articles about The Caucasus

Georgia and Azerbaijan Expand Engagement With Middle East
Executive Summary: The South Caucasus has grown increasingly close to the Middle East. One region that stands out is the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), which looks at the Caucasus as a transit and a land for investments. Tbilisi’s closer ties with the GCC present a... MORE

Georgia Leaves Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe
Executive Summary: On January 29, the Republic of Georgia ceased participation in the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) after the latter demanded new parliamentary elections and the release of political prisoners. Tbilisi’s exit from PACE threatens its eligibility for EU candidacy. The... MORE

Trade Along Trans-Caspian International Transport Route Surges
Executive Summary: The Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (TITR), or Middle Corridor, has evolved as a key alternative for trade between Europe and the People’s Republic of China (PRC) due to sanctions against Russia. The route bypasses Russia and transits through Central Asia, the Caucasus, and... MORE

Armenia Moves Toward Europe While Still Dependent on Russia
Executive Summary: Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has signaled plans to pursue EU membership, which Moscow views as an attempt by Brussels and Washington D.C. to fully replace it. Armenia’s reliance on Russia for trade complicates the situation. The economic challenges posed by such a... MORE

Informal Georgian Leader Bidzina Ivanishvili Faces U.S. Sanctions
Executive Summary: At the end of 2024, the United States imposed financial sanctions on Bidzina Ivanishvili, a billionaire and the informal leader of Georgia, for undermining democratic processes and enabling Russian influence. The sanctions included freezing select assets and restricting transactions. Opposition leaders welcomed the... MORE

Azerbaijan’s SOCAR Invests in Türkiye’s Energy Sector
Executive Summary: On January 6, the State Oil Company of the Republic of Azerbaijan (SOCAR) announced plans to invest in Türkiye’s energy sector, strengthening bilateral ties and allowing Baku to expand its influence in Europe and the Middle East. SOCAR is critical in meeting Türkiye’s... MORE

Occupied Abkhazia Faces Electricity Crisis
Executive Summary: Abkhazia is experiencing an energy shortage due to low water levels in the Enguri hydroelectric dam. Illegal cryptocurrency mining further exacerbates the shortage, which has increased Abkhazia’s reliance on Russian electricity. In September, Abkhazia blocked a law allowing Russian citizens to buy real... MORE

Azerbaijan Seeks End to EU Mission in Armenia as Pashinyan Offers Border Compromise
Executive Summary: Russia’s Federal Security Service border guards left Armenia’s border checkpoint with Iran on December 30. Even though Russian guards will remain elsewhere on the entire stretch of the Armenia-Iran border, it represents further diversification away from Moscow. The European Union Mission Armenia (EUMA)... MORE

Airplane Crash Exposes Flaws in Baku-Moscow Relations
Executive Summary: On December 25, 2024, Azerbaijan Airlines Flight J2-8243, planned to fly from Baku to Grozny, Chechnya, crashed near Aktau, Kazakhstan, after a Russian surface-to-air missile exploded near the aircraft mid-flight. The incident has strained Azerbaijan-Russian relations. Azerbaijani officials criticized Moscow’s denial, lack of... MORE

Circassian National Movement Energized by Kyiv’s Recognition of Russian Genocide
Executive Summary: The Ukrainian parliament has voted to recognize Russian actions against the Circassians in the 19th century as an act of genocide—a move Circassians and human rights activists hope will lead other countries to follow. Moscow is working to blunt the impact of Ukraine’s... MORE