Have the events in Kazakhstan exposed the limits of Turkey’s regional aspirations in Central Asia? (by Yeghia Tashjian)

In February 2021, I wrote an article “Turkey’s Pivot in Central Asia: A Calculated Risk?” and asked to what extent can Turkey push its pan-Turkic aspirations in Central Asia? If Turkey’s economic and energy relations in Central Asia continue to deepen, will it

Will Turkey gamble with Ukraine against Russia? (by Yeghia Tashjian)

Introduction In the past few years, Turkey has been gradually increasing its influence in Ukraine through trade and military cooperation amid escalating tensions between Moscow and Kyiv, challenging Moscow’s standing in the Black Sea region. The strategic cooperation between Ankara and Kyiv is not limited

The Russian-Turkish “Co-opetition” in Eurasia and Beyond (By Yeghia Tashjian)

Introduction  “Co-opetition” was a term coined by Adam M. Brandenburger and Barry Nalebuff to describe a paradoxical strategy of cooperation among competitors, enabling them to collectively achieve mutual gains. It’s a relatively new term in international relations and used occasionally in international trade.

What kind of Artsakh do we want? (By Yeghia Tashjian)

I wanted to write about this a long time ago, even before the war. But the Artsakh War, its devastating outcome on the Armenian nation and its political ideology pushed me to raise some provocative questions and arguments. What kind of Artsakh do

Revolutionizing the Turkish Army under Erdogan (By Yeghia Tashjian)

Back in July, Rich Outzen published a policy paper “Deals, Drones and National Will: The New Era in Turkish Power Projection” in the Washington Institute for Near East Policy highlighting the new strategy of the Turkish Armed Forces, the development of the arms

Pashinyan’s Foreign Policy Challenges (By Yeghia Tashjian)

Caretaker PM Nikol Pashinyan and his party’s euphoria from election victory will soon disappear, since for them, the post-election period will be full of foreign policy challenges linked to the post-war regional dynamics in the South Caucasus. These challenges range from Armenia’s balancing

“Shushi Declaration” and its Implications on the South Caucasus and Beyond (By Yeghia Tashjian)

On June 15, 2021, during his visit to occupied Shushi, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan signed the Shushi Declaration with his Azerbaijani counterpart Ilham Aliyev to cement “allied relations” between the two countries. The declaration consists of many important points including mutual defense guarantees and

Russia’s Interests in Lebanon: Fulfilling a Middle Eastern Dream (By Yeghia Tashjian)

Greece, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, Russia, Saudi Arabia and Turkey have all taken major steps, directly and through proxies, to advance their energy security and geopolitical interests in the eastern Mediterranean. Russia, which does not border the Mediterranean Sea but has a

Understanding Russia’s Foreign Policy in the Age of Putin (by Yeghia Tashjian)

Understanding Russia’s foreign policy concept under the era of President Vladimir Putin is not easy. Many people ignore the fact that a country’s foreign policy is a reflection of its domestic considerations. When it comes to Russia, we often read and “enlighten” ourselves with the

Aliyev, once again, threatens Armenia with war (By Yeghia Tashjian)

“NEVER, WITHOUT SYUNIK, WITHOUT THIS STRONG GEOGRAPHIC BACKBONE OF ARMENIA, OUR ENTIRE HOMELAND CANNOT EXIST.” — KAREKIN NJTEH Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev is taking advantage of the domestic instability in Yerevan and once again using a threatening tone against Armenia. On the 6th