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The Caucasus

Named for the mountain range between southern Russia, and northern Turkey and Iran, the Caucasus is home to the nations of Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia. While all three nations have made progress toward democracy and a free market in varying degrees since independence in the 1990s, corruption, human rights violations, and conflict still hinder efforts to improve regional security.

Learn more about the Caucasus
Experts react: What’s behind the crisis in Georgia?

Tue, Nov 24, 2020

Ukraine must study the economic foundations of Azerbaijan’s military success

Ukraine must learn from Azerbaijan and look to create a strong economy built on modern technologies and broad international cooperation before seeking to regain Russian-occupied regions of the country.

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Experts react: What’s behind the crisis in Georgia?

Tue, Nov 24, 2020

Strengthening ties between NATO, Ukraine and Georgia

Ukraine and Georgia both feature among NATO’s six Enhanced Opportunities Partners but the two former Soviet republics seek greater integration as they continue to push for eventual NATO membership.

UkraineAlert by Alyona Getmanchuk, Irakli Porchkhidze, Sergiy Solodkyy

NATO Partnerships Non-Traditional Threats
Experts react: What’s behind the crisis in Georgia?

Fri, Nov 13, 2020

Peace at last? Assessing the ceasefire in Nagorno-Karabakh

After six weeks of warfare, Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Russia agreed to a peace deal on November 10 that seems to be more durable than prior agreements. The war leaves Armenia and Azerbaijan with dramatically different domestic situations and a new regional security order, with Russia and Turkey as major players and the United States and Europe on the periphery.

New Atlanticist by Andrew D’Anieri

Conflict Peacekeeping and Peacebuilding
Featured events

Mon, Jan 25, 2021

A conversation with foreign policy adviser to President of Azerbaijan, Hikmet Hajiyev

11:00am

Fri, Oct 23, 2020

A conversation with Armenian Foreign Minister Zohrab Mnatsakanyan

4:30pm

Learn more

Subscribe for the latest on the Caucasus

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Experts

Zarine Kharazian

Zarine Kharazian

Associate Editor

Armenian Cybersecurity

Digital Forensic Research Lab

Linderman Laura 175

Laura Linderman

Nonresident Senior Fellow

The Caucasus Political Reform

Eurasia Center

Shelby Magid

Associate Director

Ukraine Human Rights

Eurasia Center

Simakovsky Mark

Mark D. Simakovsky

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Russia National Security

Eurasia Center

Terrell Jermaine Starr

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Politics & Diplomacy Russia

Eurasia Center

Content

Tue, Feb 23, 2021

Experts react: What’s behind the crisis in Georgia?

On February 23, Georgian authorities arrested a top opposition leader, sparking a new political crisis for the country. Experts react to the latest developments and what it means for the young democracy's future.

UkraineAlert by Doug Klain and Shelby Magid

Democratic Transitions Human Rights

Tue, Jan 5, 2021

End the Russian veto on Georgian accession: NATO 20/2020 podcast

Admitting Georgia to NATO without extending an Article 5 guarantee to the Abkhazia and Tskhinvali Regions can fulfill the promise of the Bucharest Summit.

NATO 20/2020 by Transatlantic Security Initiative

Europe & Eurasia International Norms

Thu, Dec 10, 2020

Russia in retreat as the Soviet collapse continues

Russia suffered a series of setbacks in its own neighborhood during 2020 that underlined the counterproductive nature of Moscow's imperial approach to the post-Soviet world.

UkraineAlert by Peter Dickinson

Belarus Central Asia

Tue, Nov 24, 2020

Ukraine must study the economic foundations of Azerbaijan’s military success

Ukraine must learn from Azerbaijan and look to create a strong economy built on modern technologies and broad international cooperation before seeking to regain Russian-occupied regions of the country.

UkraineAlert by Vladislav Inozemtsev

Conflict Economy & Business

Tue, Nov 24, 2020

Strengthening ties between NATO, Ukraine and Georgia

Ukraine and Georgia both feature among NATO's six Enhanced Opportunities Partners but the two former Soviet republics seek greater integration as they continue to push for eventual NATO membership.

UkraineAlert by Alyona Getmanchuk, Irakli Porchkhidze, Sergiy Solodkyy

NATO Partnerships Non-Traditional Threats

Tue, Nov 17, 2020

Ukraine can learn from Azerbaijan’s recent victory

Azerbaijan’s recent victory over Armenia offers some potentially important lessons for Ukraine, which is home to the most recent of the many little wars to erupt amid the ruins of the Soviet Empire.

UkraineAlert by Taras Kuzio

Conflict Security & Defense

Fri, Nov 13, 2020

Peace at last? Assessing the ceasefire in Nagorno-Karabakh

After six weeks of warfare, Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Russia agreed to a peace deal on November 10 that seems to be more durable than prior agreements. The war leaves Armenia and Azerbaijan with dramatically different domestic situations and a new regional security order, with Russia and Turkey as major players and the United States and Europe on the periphery.

New Atlanticist by Andrew D'Anieri

Conflict Peacekeeping and Peacebuilding

Wed, Nov 11, 2020

Putin’s Karabakh victory sparks alarm in Ukraine

Russian President Vladimir Putin appears to have achieved a significant victory in Nagorno-Karabakh that promises to alter the geopolitical balance throughout the former Soviet space in his favor.

UkraineAlert by Anders Åslund

Conflict Peacekeeping and Peacebuilding

Wed, Nov 11, 2020

Azerbaijan-Armenia peace deal could be the diplomatic breakthrough the region needs

The agreement not only ends one of the world’s longest standing conflicts, but also could catalyze other diplomatic and economic agreements that can restore peace, prosperity, and stability throughout the region.

New Atlanticist by Matthew Bryza

Conflict Peacekeeping and Peacebuilding

Tue, Nov 10, 2020

Putin gains and loses from Armenia-Azerbaijan ceasefire deal

The ceasefire deal has weakened Moscow’s position in the region, but it also served as a diplomatic victory for Putin, as Russian peacekeepers will enforce the agreement, and the United States remained on the sidelines.

New Atlanticist by John E. Herbst

Conflict Russia
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Events

Wed, Mar 3, 2021

Crisis in Georgia?

Online Event With the high-profile arrest of UNM opposition leader Nika Melia, Georgia may be in a new political crisis. How dangerous is the situation and what can be done to deescalate tensions to ensure Georgia's democratic future?

9:00am Political Reform Politics & Diplomacy Rule of Law The Caucasus

Crisis in Georgia?