Executive Summary: The Caspian Sea is becoming a site of geopolitical conflict as Russia is rapidly losing its dominance over the four other littoral states: Azerbaijan, Iran, Kazakhstan, and Turkmenistan. Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, and Turkmenistan have been expanding their fleets and are now entering into security... MORE

Executive Summary: A Russian raid in Ekaterinburg targeting ethnic Azerbaijanis on June 27 resulted in deaths, injuries, and allegations of torture. This ignited a severe diplomatic crisis, with Baku accusing Moscow of ethnic violence and launching a criminal investigation. Russia-Azerbaijan relations have been deteriorating since... MORE

Executive Summary: Azerbaijan and Vietnam established an official strategic partnership during General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Tô Lâm’s May 7–8 visit to Baku, signing major agreements in energy, defense, science, trade, and culture to expand bilateral cooperation. Key economic deals include energy... MORE

Executive Summary: The deepening drought in southern Russia is threatening the region and its food production, as well as Moscow’s relationship with neighboring states harmed by the reduced flow of the Volga River into the Caspian Sea. Southern Russia’s drought is having a serious negative... MORE

Executive Summary: On May 7, Azerbaijan announced that Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev would not attend Moscow’s May 9 Victory Day parade commemorating the 80th anniversary of the Soviet Union’s victory over Nazi Germany. Azerbaijani media attributed the visit cancellation to a series of negative developments... MORE

Executive Summary: Azerbaijan and the People’s Republic of China (PRC) signed a series of new agreements on renewable energy cooperation, including solar and wind, reinforcing mutual goals of carbon reduction and green energy development. The PRC’s low-cost renewable technologies can help Azerbaijan affordably expand its... MORE

Executive Summary: Azerbaijan is responding to increased trade through the Middle Corridor with international partnerships and ambitious reforms of its railway and port systems, highlighting Baku’s desire to become a critical node in global trade. Reforms such as standardized cargo procedures, digital customs systems, and... MORE

Executive Summary: On April 22, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev conducted a state visit to the People’s Republic of China (PRC) to strengthen Azerbaijan’s role as a transit hub between the PRC, Central Asia, and Europe and expand the Azerbaijan-PRC partnership to new spheres. Azerbaijan–PRC cooperation... MORE

Executive Summary: Georgia hosted the foreign ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan on April 17 for a closed trilateral summit to strengthen mutually beneficial cooperation between the countries and geopolitical stability of the South Caucasus. Armenia and Azerbaijan’s progress, albeit slow, in signing a peace agreement... MORE

Executive Summary: Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan have announced they will hold joint naval exercises in the northern portion of the Caspian Sea near Russia’s coastline to prepare for any asymmetrical threat. While this announcement was overshadowed by Russian President Vladimir Putin’s ratification of a cooperation accord... MORE