The Caucasus might become the theatre of a new conflict whose consequences will impact the entire Eurasian region if the international community will not stop the military escalation at the borders of the de-facto Republic of Nagorno-Karabakh and Azerbaijan.
Turkey continues its technical military partnership with the Russian Federation because of Ankara's will of upgrading its defence system and capabilities and make the country less dependent from NATO. The second Turkish purchase of the Russian S-400 might change the balance inside the North Atlantic Alliance and make Moscow and Ankara closer in the international arena.
Russia plans to develop the infrastructure of the port of Makhachkala to transform the Dagestani capital in a logistic hub in the Caspian Sea and the Caucasus region and boost the socio-economic development. Moscow's desire to upgrade Makhachkala's seaport and airport challenges the city of Baku and the Azerbaijani aim to become the Caspian interconnection.
Iran and Russia are strengthening their bilateral cooperation in the field of scientific research focusing their attention on the Caspian Sea because the region plays a strategic role in the international arena and energy market. Furthermore, Tehran is becoming more involved in Russian domestic markets as demonstrated by the recent cooperation agreement between Iranian and North Caucasian academic institutions.
Qatar expressed interest in implementing major projects in the Republic of Turkmenistan. The Arab country aims at playing a major role in Central Asia trying to boost its influence and political-economic presence in Turkmenistan, a post-Soviet republic well-known for its energetic resources.
The European Union has shown its inability to face the emergency of Covid-19 and supporting Italy. Due to the lack of EU support Italy is strengthening its relations and cooperation with China considering that Beijing is interested in enhancing the Memorandum of Understanding toward the Belt and Road Initiative signed last year with the previous Italian government.
The US – Taliban deal should be only interpreted as an agreement between Washington and a specific group of Taliban for the safe passage for the US troops withdrawal. The agreement was welcomed as a success in diplomacy although the war in the country cannot be considered over since in Afghanistan several factions of Taliban and different terrorist groups connected to external actors are operating.
The European Parliament approved the EU - Vietnam free trade agreement as a sign of Brussels' major involvement in the ASEAN market. This trade agreement demonstrates that Brussels is building its way to becoming one of the main geopolitical actors in the ASEAN.
Russia, Belarus and the never-ending confrontation on oil supply. This is what we have read and monitored in newspapers since the beginning of the new year. Originally the situation looked like the classical back and forth which has characterized and classified Moscow – Minsk relations but soon it became an international issue which interested the Baltic republics, Ukraine, the Caucasus and the European Union.
The Russian president Vladimir Putin abolished the Ministry of North Caucasus Affairs established in 2014 to support the regional development. The functions of the ministry will be transferred to the Ministry of Economic Development. The abolition of this ministry might be considered part of the political-institutional reshuffle which Putin started in the Russian Federation. The consequences of this decision might directly affect the region and the Kremlin's financial and political involvement in the North Caucasian dynamics.
