#south-caucasus — Public Fediverse posts

🚨 ONE NATION. TWO ANGRY CAPITALS.
🇹🇷 Erdoğan’s allies turn on Baku. 🇦🇿 Aliyev’s ruling party fires back.
A headscarf dispute has erupted into a political showdown over religion, Israel and sovereignty.
⚡ Is the Ankara–Baku brotherhood beginning to crack?
TLF SPECIAL | The alliance faces an uncomfortable test.
🔗 https://www.thelevantfiles.org/2026/10/tlf-special-one-nation-two-angry.html
#Turkey #Azerbaijan #Erdogan #Aliyev #Ankara #Baku #SouthCaucasus #BreakingNews

Trump’s Middle Corridor Plans Face Russian and Iranian Roadblocks https://www.byteseu.com/2450703/ #Armenia #Azerbaijan #Geopolitics #Iran #MiddleCorridor #Railways #Russia #SouthCaucasus #TradeRoutes #TRIPP #trump

https://www.europesays.com/3309149/ Trump’s Middle Corridor Plans Face Russian and Iranian Roadblocks #Armenia #Azerbaijan #BreakingNews #Iran #MiddleCorridor #Railways #Russia #SouthCaucasus #TradeRoutes #TRIPP #trump

https://www.europesays.com/unitedstates/37746/ NATO 3.0 and the battle for Europe’s strategic frontier: Why Ukraine, Georgia and the Black Sea will determine the success of the new European security architecture #BlackSea #Europe #Georgia #GeorgianForeignPolicy #NATO #SouthCaucasus

https://www.europesays.com/conflicts/35753/ NATO 3.0 and the battle for Europe’s strategic frontier: Why Ukraine, Georgia and the Black Sea will determine the success of the new European security architecture #BlackSea #Europe #EuropeanMilitary #Georgia #GeorgianForeignPolicy #SouthCaucasus

NATO 3.0 and the battle for Europe’s strategic frontier: Why Ukraine, Georgia and the Black Sea will determine the success of the new European security architecture

NATO’s European allies are adapting their defences at a time when it is becoming increasingly crucial to pursue…
#Europe #EU #BLACKSEA #European #Georgia #Georgianforeignpolicy #SouthCaucasus
https://www.europesays.com/europe/158451/

NATO 3.0 and the battle for Europe’s strategic frontier: Why Ukraine, Georgia and the Black Sea will determine the success of the new European security architecture

NATO’s European allies are adapting their defences at a time when it is becoming increasingly crucial to pursue…
#NATO #OTAN #Europe #Europa #EU #News #BlackSea #Georgia #Georgianforeignpolicy #SouthCaucasus
https://www.europesays.com/nato/18196/

Kadyrov went to Baku, not Moscow — What prompted his visit to Azerbaijan? — TodayPress.tv https://www.byteseu.com/2440728/ #Azerbaijan #Chechnya #KadyrovWentToBaku #NotMoscow #RamzanKadyrov #RepublicOfAzerbaijan #RussiaAzerbaijanRelations #SouthCaucasus

https://www.europesays.com/unitedstates/23940/ Western Azerbaijanis and the emerging peace framework in the South Caucasus #armenia #Azerbaijan #HumanitarianImpact #PresentDayArmenia #SouthCaucasus #wester #WesternAzerbaijan #WesternAzerbaijanis

Secret plan for the Caucasus on the table: What brought Armenian minister to Tehran — TodayPress.tv

Iran is further strengthening its relations with Armenia at a time when the strategic importance of the South…
#EuropeSays #Headlines #News #Europe #Europa #EU #Tehran #Armenia #GiymatMahir #Iran #regionalsecurity #SecretplanfortheCaucasusonthetable: #southcaucasus #TodayPressTV
https://www.europesays.com/iran/319661/

https://www.europesays.com/iran/319661/ Secret plan for the Caucasus on the table: What brought Armenian minister to Tehran — TodayPress.tv #Armenia #GiymatMahir #Iran #RegionalSecurity #SecretPlanForTheCaucasusOnTheTable: #SouthCaucasus #Tehran #TodayPressTV

Armenian FM Mirzoyan meets with Araghchi in Tehran for talks

During the meeting, the two top diplomats exchanged their views on hosts of issues, including bilateral relations, recent…
#EuropeSays #Headlines #News #Europe #Europa #EU #Tehran #Armenia #ArmenianFM #BilateralCooperation #BilateralTies #Iran #IranFM #SeyedAbbasAraghchi #southcaucasus
https://www.europesays.com/iran/318167/

https://www.europesays.com/iran/318167/ Armenian FM Mirzoyan meets with Araghchi in Tehran for talks #Armenia #ArmenianFM #BilateralCooperation #BilateralTies #Iran #IranFM #SeyedAbbasAraghchi #SouthCaucasus #Tehran

Armenian FM to visit Iran for high-profile talks: FM spox https://www.byteseu.com/2422674/ #Armenia #BilateralCooperation #BilateralTies #EsmaeilBaghaeiHamaneh #IranFM #IranArmenia #RepublicOfArmenia #SeyedAbbasAraghchi #SouthCaucasus

Türkiye hails peace efforts in South Caucasus

SHUSHA Turkish Defense Minister Yaşar Güler has expressed Ankara’s satisfaction with deepening regional cooperation in the South Caucasus,…
#EuropeSays #Turkiye #Türkiye #SouthCaucasus #YaşarGüler
https://www.europesays.com/turkiye/57299/

Yerevan’s “red line” on Tehran: Pashinyan speaks out — TodayPress.tv

Armenia may join sanctions against Iran. TodayPress TV reports that the Armenian government is examining a new package…
#EuropeSays #Headlines #News #Europe #Europa #EU #Tehran #Armenia #Iran #NikolPashinyan #southcaucasus #USsanctions
https://www.europesays.com/iran/314413/

https://www.europesays.com/be/40680/ “Europe always been a priority,” says Azerbaijan tourism chief ahead of Brussels route #AzerbaijanAirlines #AzerbaijanTourism #AzerbaijanTourismBoard #Baku #Brussels #Brussels–BakuFlights #EuropeanTourism #FlorianSengstschmid #Formula1 #HealthTourism #SouthCaucasus

https://www.europesays.com/iran/314413/ Yerevan’s “red line” on Tehran: Pashinyan speaks out — TodayPress.tv #Armenia #Iran #NikolPashinyan #SouthCaucasus #Tehran #USSanctions

https://www.europesays.com/dk/177507/ “Europe always has been a priority”, says Azerbaijan tourism chief ahead of Brussels route – Travel Tomorrow #AzerbaijanAirlines #AzerbaijanTourism #AzerbaijanTourismBoard #Baku #Belgium #Brussels #Brussels–BakuFlights #EuropeanTourism #FlorianSengstschmid #Formula1 #HealthTourism #SouthCaucasus

Pashinyan talks TRIPP: Will Armenia turn words into action? https://www.byteseu.com/2393722/ #Armenia #EastWestTransitHub #NikolPashinyan #PrimeMinister #RepublicOfArmenia #SouthCaucasus #TRIPP #Türkiye

Tiberio Graziani: Italy and Azerbaijan have strong connectivity potential – INTERVIEW

Italy is entering a significant period of political and geopolitical adjustment as Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s government becomes…
#Italy #Europe #Europa #EU #Azerbaijan #connectivity #logistics #middlecorridor #southcaucasus #Transportation
https://www.europesays.com/italy/50087/

From Survival to Statehood: Reflections on a Sovereign Armenia https://www.byteseu.com/2387144/ #Armenia #Armenia–RussiaRelations #ArmenianDiaspora #EVNReport #ForeignPolicy #GeopoliticalDiversification #IndependentStatehood #KMGregSarkissian #NationalResilience #NationalSecurity #Opinion #RepublicOfArmenia #SouthCaucasus #Sovereignty

https://www.europesays.com/3260568/ Nakhchivan drone attack, Tehran’s concerns and the Baku visit… — What was Fidan signaling? — TodayPress.tv #—WhatWasFidanSignaling? #AzerbaijanTürkiyeRelations #Conflicts #GiymatMahir #HAKANFİDAN #Iran #MiddleEast #MiddleEastCrisis #nakhchivan #RegionalSecurity #SouthCaucasus #Tehran

Nakhchivan drone attack, Tehran’s concerns and the Baku visit… — What was Fidan signaling? — TodayPress.tv

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan shared a post on his account on the social media platform “X” summarizing…
#Conflict #Conflicts #War #—WhatwasFidansignaling? #Azerbaijan-Türkiyerelations #GiymatMahir #HAKANFİDAN #Iran #middleeast #middleeastcrisis #nakhchivan #regionalsecurity #southcaucasus #Tehran
https://www.europesays.com/3260568/

Nakhchivan drone attack, Tehran’s concerns and the Baku visit… — What was Fidan signaling? — TodayPress.tv

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan shared a post on his account on the social media platform “X” summarizing…
#EuropeSays #Headlines #News #Europe #Europa #EU #Tehran #—WhatwasFidansignaling? #Azerbaijan-Türkiyerelations #GiymatMahir #HAKANFİDAN #Iran #nakhchivan #regionalsecurity #southcaucasus
https://www.europesays.com/iran/298826/

Nakhchivan drone attack, Tehran’s concerns and the Baku visit… — What was Fidan signaling? — TodayPress.tv

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan shared a post on his account on the social media platform “X” summarizing…
#EuropeSays #Turkiye #Türkiye #—WhatwasFidansignaling? #AzerbaijanTürkiyerelations #GiymatMahir #HakanFidan #Nakhchivan #RegionalSecurity #SouthCaucasus
https://www.europesays.com/turkiye/52583/

https://www.europesays.com/iran/298826/ Nakhchivan drone attack, Tehran’s concerns and the Baku visit… — What was Fidan signaling? — TodayPress.tv #—WhatWasFidanSignaling? #AzerbaijanTürkiyeRelations #GiymatMahir #HAKANFİDAN #Iran #nakhchivan #RegionalSecurity #SouthCaucasus #Tehran

Russia Cuts Off Gas to Armenia Days After Diversification Announcement

Just days after Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan reaffirmed an intention to reduce the country’s dependence on Russian…
#EuropeSays #Russia #armenia #Azerbaijan #energydiversification #Gazprom #Iran #naturalgas #nikolpashinyan #southcaucasus #TRIPP
https://www.europesays.com/russia/65309/

Russia Cuts Off Gas to Armenia Days After Diversification Announcement https://www.byteseu.com/2374398/ #Armenia #Azerbaijan #EnergyDiversification #Gazprom #Iran #NaturalGas #NikolPashinyan #RepublicOfArmenia #Russia #SouthCaucasus #TRIPP

https://www.europesays.com/people/231383/ Donald Trump Organization, Archi Group launch new Donald Trump Tower project in Georgia #construction #DonaldTrump #EricTrump #georgia #RealEstate #SouthCaucasus #Trump

Donald Trump Organization, Archi Group launch new Donald Trump Tower project in Georgia

The Trump Tower Tbilisi project, the Trump brand’s first luxury tower in the Caucasus, was launched in Tbilisi…
#UnitedStates #US #USA #construction #DonaldTrump #Georgia #realestate #southcaucasus #trump
https://www.europesays.com/3255901/

https://www.europesays.com/iran/294748/ Iran criticizes the Zangezur corridor but reaches agreement with Armenia: What is Tehran’s goal? — TodayPress.tv #Armenia #GiymatMahir #Iran #NorduzMeghri #SouthCaucasus #Tehran #WhatIsTehran’sGoal? #ZangezurCorridor

Thirty years without sanctions: Why international law failed to protect Azerbaijan https://www.byteseu.com/2370843/ #ArmenianAggression #Azerbaijan #EuropeanParliament #international #OSCE #RepublicOfAzerbaijan #SouthCaucasus #UnitedNations

Azerbaijan and Armenia: The nuances of border delimitation https://www.byteseu.com/2362373/ #Armenia #Azerbaijan #BorderDelimitation #demarcation #Georgia #RepublicOfArmenia #SouthCaucasus

Two Elections, One Corridor: Why Hungary and Armenia Matter to Eurasia’s Economic Future

The elections hel…
#Economy #AI #Armenia #beltandroad #CentralAsia #consequences #cooperation #EconomyofEU #EconomyoftheEU #elections #elections2026 #Energy #EUeconomy #Eurasia #Europe #EuropeanUnion #Fidesz-KDNP #foreignpolicy #hungary #MiddleCorridor #NikolPashinyan #Politics #southcaucasus #TiszaParty #transportation #TRIPP #TrumpRouteforInternationalPeaceandProsperity
https://www.europesays.com/3245068/

Two Elections, One Corridor: Why Hungary and Armenia Matter to Eurasia’s Economic Future https://www.byteseu.com/2355862/ #AI #Armenia #BeltAndRoad #CentralAsia #consequences #Cooperation #Elections #Elections2026 #Energy #Eurasia #Europe #EuropeanUnion #FideszKDNP #ForeignPolicy #Hungary #MiddleCorridor #NikolPashinyan #Politics #SouthCaucasus #TiszaParty #Transportation #TRIPP #TrumpRouteForInternationalPeaceAndProsperity

Work with us: We are hiring a Doctoral Researcher/Economist (f/m/d) to join our international team of excellent researchers.

Focus on empirical #Economics with a regional lens on Eastern & #SoutheasternEurope, #CentralAsia and/or the #SouthCaucasus.
📅 Deadline: August 31
➡️ https://leibniz-ios.de/en/vacancies-and-internships/details/doctoral-researcher-economist

#PhDJob #Economics

As Azerbaijan Pushes Back Against Moscow, Central Asia Watches

https://fed.brid.gy/r/https://timesca.com/as-azerbaijan-pushes-back-against-moscow-central-asia-watches/

📣 #CfA | Deadline extended for students from Armenia:
The International Autumn School 2026, 30 Sep–10 Oct, in #Yerevan examines how international law is interpreted, contested & instrumentalized in #Armenia & the #SouthCaucasus. Open to students of Law, IR & Political Science.
📅 Deadline: 31 July 2026
➡️ https://leibniz-ios.de/en/knowledge-transfer/news/newsdetail/cfa-contested-spaces-fragmented-orders

🇦🇲🇨🇾 Armenian opposition figure Samvel Karapetyan says he cannot renounce his Cypriot citizenship while under house arrest, thrusting Cyprus into the heart of Armenia's post-election political crisis.

The case could have major constitutional implications, as Armenian law bars dual citizens from serving as prime minister.

Read the full story:
https://www.thelevantfiles.org/2026/07/russianarmenian-billionaire-says-cyprus.html

#Armenia #Cyprus #SamvelKarapetyan #Politics #Citizenship #SouthCaucasus #TheLevantFiles

🟢 Diplomacy | 5/10
🇦🇲 🇪🇺 🇷🇺

EU assures Armenia of support amid Russian pressure
The EU told Armenia 'you can count on us' as Russia maintains economic pressure on Yerevan.

#OSINT #NewsGroup #Armenia #EU #Russia #SouthCaucasus

🇦🇲 PM Nikol Pashinyan's pro-Western Civil Contract party wins Armenia's parliamentary election — nearly 50% of the vote and a solid majority.

Armenia leans further toward the EU & the West, though it's not cutting ties with Russia just yet. A final peace deal with Azerbaijan & Turkey? Still out of reach — Pashinyan fell short of the supermajority needed.

Full story 👇
https://www.thelevantfiles.org/2026/06/pashinyans-pro-western-party-wins.html

#Armenia #Pashinyan #Yerevan #EU #Russia #Azerbaijan #Turkey #SouthCaucasus #Politics #BreakingNews

Why Azerbaijan is being dragged into Iran-Israel conflict as regional tensions spill north https://english.mathrubhumi.com/news/world/azerbaijan-iran-israel-conflict-analysis-2026-a41j7ozd?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=mastodon #Azerbaijan #Iran #Israel #Geopolitics #SouthCaucasus

Sunday, June 7, 2026

https://activitypub.writeworks.uk/2026/06/sunday-june-7-2026/

📣 #CfA: The International Autumn School 2026, 30 Sep–10 Oct, in #Yerevan examines how international law is interpreted, contested & instrumentalized in #Armenia & the #SouthCaucasus. Open to students of Law, International Relations & Political Science.
📅 Deadline: 20 June 2026
➡️ https://leibniz-ios.de/en/knowledge-transfer/news/newsdetail/cfa-contested-spaces-fragmented-orders

📣 #CfA: We invite applications for up to two Visiting Fellowships on the politics of international law, contested sovereignty & hybrid conflicts in the #SouthCaucasus. Funded by @DAAD_worldwide, jointly organized with Yerevan State University.
📅 Deadline: 20 June 2026
➡️ https://leibniz-ios.de/en/knowledge-transfer/news/newsdetail/cfa-visiting-fellows-programm-2026-contested-spaces-fragmented-orders-international-law-and-politics-in-the-south-caucasus

I don't think that was very smart of Armenia
https://www.rferl.org/a/armenian-military-parade-iranian-air-defense-system/33767600.html
#SouthCaucasus #Armenia #Iran

Friday, May 15, 2026

https://activitypub.writeworks.uk/2026/05/friday-may-15-2026/

For three decades, Yerevan has been cut off from regional logistics networks after Azerbaijan and Turkey closed their borders in the early 1990s
https://timesca.com/a-new-southern-gate-how-the-eu-armenia-summit-unlocks-a-critical-southern-branch-for-the-middle-corridor/

#Armenia #SouthCaucasus #CentralAsia and #Europe ##Roads

The Yerevan EPC summit sent a signal to Central Asia: post-Soviet states can widen ties with Europe without making a clean break from Moscow https://ow.ly/SIOl50YVb9r #Europe #CentralAsia #SouthCaucasus #Diplomacy #EPC2026 #YerevanSummit #Geopolitics

European Summit in Yerevan Sen...

A bronze solar disk buried with women. Painted clay panels on the walls of Iron Age homes. Eight years of excavation is rewriting the prehistory of Georgia’s long-overlooked highland plateau. #Archaeology #SouthCaucasus #BronzeAge @antiquity.ac.uk https://www.anthropology.net/p/the-hill-of-ashes

#CfA #Masterclass with Bryan Ward-Perkins: “The Cult of Saints in Late Antiquity database"

📌 8 May 2026 | in Yerevan, Georgia | organised by #MWSGeorgiaBranchOffice | for students from #Armenia and #SouthCaucasus

📅 Deadline: 17 April 2026

🔗 https://mwsgeorgien.hypotheses.org/files/2026/03/CfA_Masterclass-with-Prof-Bryan-Ward-Perkins.pdf

Yazids

Also spelled Yesidis.

They’re a Kurdish-speaking endogamous religious group indigenous to Kurdistan, a geographical region in Western Asia that includes parts of Iraq, Syria, Turkey, & Iran, with small numbers living in Armenia & Georgia (the country). Endogamy is the cultural practice of only marrying within a specific social group, religious denomination, caste, or ethnic group. The majority of the Yazidis remaining in the Middle East today live in Iraq, primarily in the governorates of Nineveh & Duhok.

Yazidism came about through a complex historical process involving a pre-Islamic Kurdish religious substratum & teachings of Sheikh Adi ibn Musafir. Generally, scholars regard Yazidism as an independent religious tradition with deep roots in ancient Iranian beliefs, shaped by later Sufi influences. Yazidism was adopted by many Kurdish tribes & Emirates. It reached as far west as Antioch & as far east as Sulaymaniyah. Sulaymaniyah/Slemani is a city in the East of the Kurdistan region of Iraq.

Yezidi manuscripts (called misurs) were written in the 13th century. It contains lists of Kurdish tribes affiliated with Yezidi Pir saints. Only 2 of the 40 total manuscripts have been published so far. Namely, the Misur of Pir Sini Darani & the Misur of Pir Xetib Pisi. The list in the Misur of Pir Sini Darani includes several large tribes that have been largely or fully Islamized today.

From the 14th century on, Yazidis developed their own religious & political institutions in the areas where they lived. The Yezidi territories were divided into 7 administrative centers. Each has its own Sincaq (This is an administrative division of the Ottoman Empire). More commonly known as Tawis among the Yezids. Sincaqs are sacred bronze effigies bearing the image of a bird or peacock to symbolize Tawusi Melek. They serve as symbols of power for each administrative center.

Every 6 months, the Yezidi Quwals, who are trained reciters of Qewls & other forms of sacred oral Yezidi tradition, were sent out to other Yezidi-inhabited areas with military protection from the central administrative region of Shekhan & the spiritual center of Lalish.

This tradition serves to preserve the Yazidi faith & doctrine. The Qewals, supported by voluntary alms, led a Sincaq through Yazidi villages to maintain spiritual legitimacy & symbolize the authority of Lalish & the Mir.

During WWI, the Armenian genocide of 1915 caused a mass exodus of Yazidis from Van, Kars, & Bazid, Turkey. Together with many Armenians, they fled from the Ottoman Empire in masses to Transcaucasia (a.k.a. South Caucasus. This is located on the border of Eastern Europe & West Asia, which straddles the southern Caucasus Mountains.).

They followed their families/relatives who had already migrated to the territories of the Russian Empire after fleeing during the Russo-Turkish wars in 1828-1829 & 1877-1878. In May 1918, Ottomans crossed the Akhuryan River to invade the Armenian Republic. The Yezidi participation in the decisive Battle of Sardarabad is still commemorated by Armenians.

Yazidism is a monotheistic faith based on belief in 1 God, who created the world & entrusted it into the care of a Heptad of the 7 Holy Beings. Often known as angels or heft sirr (the 7 Mysteries). Preeminent among these is Tawusi Melek (also known as Melek Taus), the Peacock Angel. Traditionally, Yazidis who marry non-Yazidis are considered to have converted to the religion of their spouse.

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A drone strike in Azerbaijan’s Nakhchivan has escalated tensions between Baku and Tehran, raising concerns about stability in the South Caucasus https://ow.ly/GxkK50Yroih #Azerbaijan #Iran #Nakhchivan #SouthCaucasus #Geopolitics #Baku #Tehran #DroneStrike

How an Incident on the Azerbai...

TRIPP Alone Should Change Russia’s Southern “Near Abroad” Strategy

TRIPP Alone Should Change Russia’s Southern “Near Abroad” Strategy

By Andrew Korybko

He’s one of Russia’s top experts, yet his latest Valdai report on this subject didn’t even make passive mention of Trump 2.0’s flagship megaproject that’s expected to expand Western – including NATO – influence throughout the South Caucasus and Central Asia, which suggests that he’s oblivious of it.

Timofei Bordachev is one of Russia’s top experts. Not only is he a Programme Director at the Valdai Club, Russia’s main think tank which hosts Putin for a Q&A at its annual meeting every fall, but his work is also regularly translated and republished by RT. One his latest such ones on their site contrasts the fates of Mexico vis-à-vis the US with the South Caucasus’ and Central Asia’s vis-à-vis Russia to argue that Russia treats its “Near Abroad”, which is a euphemism for its “sphere of influence”, better than the US does.

The purpose was to challenge those in Russia who’ve “argued that the Central Asian republics receive too much from Russia while offering little in return”, ergo why “Moscow should adopt a more pragmatic, even harsher, approach toward its southern neighbours. Something akin to the way the United States has treated Central America for the past two centuries…Critics argue that these states play a ‘multi-vector’ game, extracting benefits from Russia while hedging politically and offering little in return.”

Bordachev himself published a piece in mid-February asking, “Towards Genuine Multi-Vector Alignment?”, which was analysed here as being most relevant to Azerbaijan since the form that its aforesaid policy takes poses a serious challenge to Russia. In particular, its armed forces conformed to NATO standards in November, and last August’s “Trump Route for International Peace & Prosperity” (TRIPP) has the dual role of expanding Western influence into the South Caucasus and Central Asia.

This arguably emboldened Kazakhstan to declare a month later in December that it’ll begin producing NATO-standard shells, thus possibly placing it on an irreversible collision course with Russia that was analysed here. Kazakhstan’s TRIPP-emboldened challenge to Russian interests was then followed up on here last month when analysing why its president is suspiciously going overboard trying to please Trump. Here are five background briefings about all the ways in which TRIPP threatens Russia’s national security:

* 9 August 2025: “The TRIPP Corridor Threatens To Undermine Russia’s Broader Regional Position”

* 10 December 2025: “How Can The US Manage Turkish-Russian Tensions In The South Caucasus & Central Asia?”

* 11 February 2026: “Vance’s Trip To The South Caucasus Tightens The West’s Encirclement Of Russia”

* 12 February 2026: “Armenia’s Pro-American Pivot Might Entail Radical Socio-Cultural Costs”

* 13 February 2026: “The US-Azerbaijani Strategic Partnership Could Destabilize Russia’s Southern Periphery”

Even if one disagrees with the extent to which TRIPP threatens Russia’s national security, there’s no doubt that this megaproject will enable the expansion of Western influence – including NATO influence – along its entire southern periphery and is a major part of Trump 2.0’s foreign policy. At the very least, one would think that it would have been at least passively referenced in Bordachev’s latest Valdai report about Russia’s “Near Abroad”, which extensively covered its partners to the south.

As surreal as it may sound, this report that was published between Bordachev’s previously mentioned pieces about multi-vector alignment and Mexico didn’t make any mention whatsoever to TRIPP, which one can easily confirm by doing a CTRL+F search for “Trump” and “TRIPP”. Given that he’s surprisingly oblivious of TRIPP, thus also of Trump 2.0’s foreign policy towards Russia’s entire southern periphery by extrapolation, it therefore makes sense why he challenged critics of Russia’s policy there.

He accordingly doesn’t assess there to be any latent national security challenges to Russia along that front, but he’s mistaken as was explained throughout this analysis. As one of Russia’s brightest minds, his work is presumably relied upon to a degree by officials when formulating policy, which is why it’s crucial for him to acknowledge TRIPP and the ways in which it threatens Russian national security without delay. TRIPP alone should change Russia’s southern “Near Abroad” strategy and hopefully he’ll soon agree.

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are author’s own and do not necessarily reflect the editorial policy of Voice of East.

Azerbaijan’s “Multi-Vector Alignment” Poses A Serious Challenge To Russia

Azerbaijan’s “Multi-Vector Alignment” Poses A Serious Challenge To Russia

By Andrew Korybko

The “Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity” is poised to become a military-logistics corridor for expanding NATO influence along Russia’s southern periphery and could thus force Putin into the zero-sum dilemma of accepting this or authorizing military action in an attempt to preempt it.

Valdai Club Programme Director Timofei Bordachev recently published an insightful piece asking whether former Soviet Republics are moving “Towards Genuine Multi-Vector Alignment?” This is described as “systematic efforts to create and maintain, insofar as possible, balanced and mutually beneficial relations with different global centres of power and regional actors, without obvious orientation towards any single bloc, and relying on tactical manoeuvring to ensure security and achieve core development goals.”

He claims that “The fact that this habit began to take shape (among the post-Soviet states) through opposition to traditional Russian influence could be regarded as an ‘inevitable evil’ which, in essence, could not inflict truly fundamental damage on Russia…Today, however, the management of multi-vector alignment may confront Russia’s neighbours—and, one step further, Russia itself—with new challenges.” These include US coercion and “a readiness to significantly enhance one’s status in regional affairs.”

Bordachev didn’t name any of the post-Soviet states other than Russia in his article, but the argument can be made that his concerns are most relevant with respect to Azerbaijan. Its decision to replace Russian mediation with Armenia with American mediation, agree last August to the “Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity” (TRIPP) which replaces Russia’s envisaged regional corridor and role therein, and the outcome of Vance’s recent trip there collectively pose a serious challenge to Russia.

All of these moves are framed by Azerbaijan as part of what Bordachev describes as the “multi-vector alignment” policy, which is factually correct. It’s also true what he wrote about how “signalling one’s own foreign-policy autonomy and the capacity to make decisions based on national interests as shaped by domestic political development” is “by no means objectionable”. The problem therefore rests in this policy’s practical implementation by Azerbaijan in the current geostrategic context of the New Cold War.

Trump 2.0 is tightening the West’s encirclement of Russia in an attempt to coerce Putin into concessions in Ukraine that would leave unfulfilled the maximalist national security goals of the special operation. That was the purpose of Vance’s trip to the South Caucasus as was explained here. Azerbaijan now functions as a launchpad for expanding US economic, political, and inevitably, military influence across the South Caucasus, the Caspian Sea, and Central Asia, which is Russia’s entire southern periphery.

Nearby Kazakhstan, which announced in December that it plans to produce NATO-standard shells, might soon be emboldened to more openly defy Russia in Azerbaijani-inspired ways that challenge its security interests even more seriously under the pretext of implementing its own “multi-vector alignment” policy. This risks replicating the NATO-Russian security dilemma that ultimately led to the special operation when it became unmanageable, except this time along two southern fronts at once, Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan.

Azerbaijan’s “multi-vector alignment” policy and consequent “readiness to significantly enhance [its] status in regional affairs”, albeit at the expense of Russia’s security interests, is responsible for setting this scenario into motion. TRIPP is poised to become a military-logistics corridor for expanding NATO influence along Russia’s entire southern periphery so Putin might therefore soon be forced into the zero-sum dilemma of accepting this encirclement or authorizing military action in an attempt to preempt it.

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are author’s own and do not necessarily reflect the editorial policy of Voice of East.

Drones reportedly launched from Iran struck Azerbaijan’s Nakhchivan exclave, injuring civilians and raising fears the widening conflict could spill into the South Caucasus https://ow.ly/bXqU50YpHcY #Azerbaijan #Iran #Nakhchivan #SouthCaucasus #Geopolitics #droneattack

Azerbaijan Accuses Iran of Dro...

Here’s How Karabakh Became The Catalyst Of Russia’s Southern Peripheral Setbacks

Here’s How Karabakh Became The Catalyst Of Russia’s Southern Peripheral Setbacks

By Andrew Korybko

The previously unresolved Karabakh Conflict might in retrospect be seen as a several-decades-delayed grand strategic game-changer that revolutionized regional geopolitics.

Vance’s recent trip to the South Caucasus, which saw him visit Armenia and Azerbaijan to accelerate implementation of the “Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity” (TRIPP) that’ll expand US influence into Central Asia, drew attention the US’ recent strategic gains at Russia’s expense. Everything’s now moving so fast that few remember how it all started with 2020’s Continuation War in Karabakh, the internationally recognized part of Azerbaijan that was then controlled by Armenia for three decades.

To over-simplify the sequence of events, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan rose to power in 2018 through a Colour Revolution on the back of Western diaspora-driven anti-Russian sentiment, but Moscow tried to work with him anyhow since his country is a CSTO member. Around that time, it became obvious that Azerbaijan would soon militarily outmatch Armenia, hence why Russia proposed that Armenia compromise with Azerbaijan over Karabakh. Pashinyan, who was already pivoting to the West, refused.

Armenia’s loss in 2020’s Continuation War saw it and Azerbaijan agree to a Moscow-mediated ceasefire for deploying peacekeepers to Karabakh. That deal also obligated Armenia to unblock regional transport routes for connecting “mainland” Azerbaijan with its exclave of Nakhchivan. This new regional corridor would then be guarded by Russia. As with Russia’s pre-war proposal that Armenia compromise with Azerbaijan over Karabakh, Pashinyan also refused to comply with this too due him pivoting to the West.

Azerbaijan predictably lost patience and exploited Russia’s focus on the special operation to launch a one-day military operation in Karabakh in September 2023 for expelling the rest of Armenia’s forces. Even then, Pashinyan still refused to unblock regional transport routes, emboldened as he was by support from the Biden Administration. They were in turn operating under the influence of California’s powerful Armenia diaspora lobby and ties with Azerbaijan were also greatly worsened at this time.

Had Kamala won, the US would probably have continued supporting Armenia over Azerbaijan and thus attempted to transform it into their bastion of influence for dividing-and-ruling the region, possibly by one day emboldening Armenia to launch a doomed-to-fail revanchist war. Trump 2.0 reversed his predecessor’s policy by repairing ties with Azerbaijan, perhaps after being convinced of the wisdom in doing so by Qatar, which wields lots of influence with them and is close with Azerbaijan’s Turkish ally.

They then saw the chance to replace Russia’s role in the Armenian-Azerbaijan peace process and also in the corridor that it proposed, thus enabling what came to be known as TRIPP to obtain a dual military-logistics function for expanding NATO influence along Russia’s entire southern periphery. To review, this was set into motion by Pashinyan’s successful Colour Revolution, his repeated US-backed refusals to comply with Russia’s advice to compromise with Baku, and then Trump 2.0’s regional policy reversal.

It remains a subject of debate whether Russia could have decisively intervened, even if only diplomatically, at each of these three stages to preemptively avert this major regional setback that might expose its entire southern periphery to radical Ukrainian-like NATO influence in the worst-case scenario. In any case, this all stems from the previously unresolved Karabakh Conflict, which might in retrospect be seen as a several-decades-delayed grand strategic game-changer that revolutionized regional geopolitics.

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are author’s own and do not necessarily reflect the editorial policy of Voice of East.

Russia Faces Five Geostrategic Challenges As The Special Operation Enters Its Fifth Year

Russia Faces Five Geostrategic Challenges As The Special Operation Enters Its Fifth Year

By Andrew Korybko

As it’s always done, Russia is expected to ensure its sovereignty, security, and thus its survival through the creative interplay between its political, military, intelligence, diplomatic, expert, and civil society communities.

Russia’s special operation against NATO-backed Ukraine just entered its fifth year. The last three anniversaries were reflected upon here, here, and here, and keeping with tradition, the present piece will review what happened over the past year and forecast what might be come in the next one. Generally speaking, Russia now faces five geostrategic challenges that are expected to shape its approach towards the US-mediated peace talks with Ukraine and its grand strategy overall, namely:

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* NATO Influence Is Poised To Expand Along Russia’s Entire Southern Periphery

Last August’s “Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity” (TRIPP) along Armenia’s southern Syunik Province has the dual function of a NATO military-logistics corridor through the South Caucasus to Central Asia. Spearheaded by member state Turkiye with allied Azerbaijan serving as the launchpad across the Caspian, TRIPP threatens to revolutionize Russia’s regional security situation for the worse if these threats aren’t contained, especially if it emboldens Kazakhstan to follow in Ukraine’s footsteps.

* The US Supports The Revival Of Poland’s Long-Lost Great Power Status

“September 2025 Was The Most Eventful Month For Poland Since The End Of Communism” for the 18 reasons enumerated in the preceding hyperlinked analysis, which set Poland up to play a central role in the US’ National Security Strategy for containing Russia after the Ukrainian Conflict ends. It already has the EU’s largest army, is located in the middle of pivotal military-logistics corridors, and is very eager to revive its long-lost Great Power status and attendant historical rivalry with Russia at Moscow’s expense.

* The EU Is Unprecedentedly Militarizing And Upgrading Its Military-Logistics

De facto EU leader “Germany Is Competing With Poland To Lead Russia’s Containment” in no small part through the nearly $100 billion in defence procurement projects that it approved last year alone. The EU as a whole is also militarizing too with the help of the €800 billion “ReArm Europe Plan”. To make matters even more concerning for Russia, the “military Schengen” for optimizing the dispatch of troops and equipment towards its borders continues apace, with the Baltic States newly committing to join this too.

* India Seems To Be Undergoing A US-Friendly Grand Strategic Recalibration

India began aligning with some of the US’ interests after their trade deal as explained here, which could eliminate tens of billions of dollars’ worth of Russian budgetary revenue if India does indeed reduce its import of Russian oil like the US claimed that it agreed to. The same goes for India possibly eschewing new big-ticket military-technical purposes from Russia too. This US-friendly grand strategic recalibration might also put more pressure on Russia’s top Chinese partner and therefore reshape Asian geopolitics.

* Poland Now Wants Nukes & Turkiye Might Soon Declare The Same Intent

The US’ decision to let the New START lapse risks a global nuclear arms race. Poland was emboldened to declare its nuclear intentions while RT published a detailed report about how Turkiye might go down this route too. Both are historical Russian rivals, and seeing as how Poland envisages carving out a sphere of influence in Central & Eastern Europe and Turkiye envisages one in Central Asia as was noted above, them obtaining nukes would pose a huge threat to Russia and raise the likelihood of its containment.

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The five geostrategic challenges confronting Russia in the fifth year of its special operation are formidable but not insurmountable. As it’s always done, Russia is expected to ensure its sovereignty, security, and thus its survival through the creative interplay between its political, military, intelligence, diplomatic, expert, and civil society communities. They might opt to cut a deal with the US over Ukraine so as to focus more on tackling these challenges, but not at any cost, ergo why that hasn’t yet happened.

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are author’s own and do not necessarily reflect the editorial policy of Voice of East.

Kazakhstan’s President Is Bending Over Backwards To Appease Trump – Here’s Why It Matters

Kazakhstan’s President Is Bending Over Backwards To Appease Trump – Here’s Why It Matters

By Andrew Korybko

He’s doing a series of favours for Trump so that he’d have his back if trouble ever arises with Russia, which is an increasingly realistic scenario given Kazakhstan’s recent decision to produce NATO-standard shells and its new military-logistics corridor with NATO via Azerbaijan and TRIPP.

Up until the first Board of Peace meeting last week, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif was considered to be the foreign leader who’s behaved most obsequiously towards Trump, with his adulation of him during last fall’s summit in Sharm el-Sheikh widely being seen as excessive and self-humiliating. Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev is now giving Sharif a run for his money after proposing during the first Board of Peace meeting the creation of a special peace prize in Trump’s honour.

In the immediate run-up to it, an article was published under his name at The National Interest about how “Reliability Is the New Power”, but it suspiciously reads as AI-generated given the language and style employed or at the very least written by someone else. Most of it is just generic reflections on the evolving world order, predictable praise of Trump, and a commitment to continue expanding relations with the US. The backdrop concerns Tokayev’s last visit to the US in November for the C5+1 Summit.

Not only did Kazakhstan sign an MoU on critical minerals cooperation with the US, which was followed up on by its Foreign Minister participating in the US’ first Critical Minerals Ministerial in early February, but it also joined the Abraham Accords despite having already recognized Israel for over three decades. The preceding hyperlinked analysis assessed that “[he] likely did this as a personal favor for Trump so that he’d have his back if trouble ever arises with Russia”.

This could realistically occur “if Kazakhstan one day tries to follow in Azerbaijan’s footsteps by having its armed forces conform to NATO standards.” In an attempt to curry even more favour with Trump, Tokayev then approved the participation of his country’s troops in the “International Stabilization Force” that’ll deploy to Gaza, which was announced during the Board of Peace meeting. Altogether, he’s clearly going overboard trying to please Trump, and he’s doing this for the aforementioned reason vis-à-vis Russia.

Kazakhstan announced in early December, after Tokayev began pleasing Trump by signing the MoU on critical minerals cooperation the month prior, that it’ll begin producing NATO-standard shells. It was likely emboldened by last August’s “Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity” (TRIPP) that’ll serve to comprehensively expand Western influence into Central Asia. Speedily implementing this corridor was the reason why Vance just travelled to the South Caucasus to visit Armenia and Azerbaijan.

TRIPP won’t just unlock a new critical minerals supply chain between the US and Kazakhstan, but also lead to new military-logistics between NATO, the South Caucasus, and Central Asia, which could precede a Ukrainian-like crisis along Russia’s entire southern periphery. For as self-evident as this strategic threat may seem, it’s absent from the Valdai Club’s latest report about “Russia and Its Neighbours: Mutual Responsibility and Co-Development”, so Russia’s top experts might get caught off guard once again.

As it stands, Tokayev is behaving just as obsequiously towards Trump as Sharif has, but Kazakhstan is also advancing US interests vis-à-vis Russia in ways that Pakistan never could. This lends credence to the belief that he’s doing favors for Trump so that he’d have his back if trouble arises with Russia. Russia’s brightest minds don’t seem to think that’ll happen – in fact, they didn’t even mention TRIPP once in their report – but perhaps its intelligence services have a different assessment and will prepare accordingly.

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are author’s own and do not necessarily reflect the editorial policy of Voice of East.