Though Afghanistan was never a primary focus for Moscow, the country’s profile has grown in importance for Russia following the return of the Taliban to power in 2021. The rapprochement between the two began as soon as US troops left. Initially characterized by cautious engagement, the bilateral ties settled into […]
Explaining Russia’s Cautious Turn to Afghanistan Continue Reading >>
Russia has spent the past several years expanding its nuclear footprint across the Middle East. While most attention has focused on Rosatom’s projects in Iran and Turkey, the state corporation has also pushed deeper into other major regional markets. The result is a layered web of strategic interdependencies that gives
Russia’s Expanding Nuclear Reach in the Middle East Continue Reading >>
Over the past year, relations between Egypt and Iran have undergone a marked thaw. The war in Gaza, anxiety over Israel’s expanding military operations, a deteriorating security situation in the Red Sea, and the practical need for cooperation in trade and investments have pushed Iran and Egypt toward rapprochement. The
Why Egypt-Iran Normalization Is Surviving the War Continue Reading >>
Kazakhstan is actively pursuing a multi-vector approach to foreign policy and has so far succeeded in maintaining a careful balance in its international relations. President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev’s recent visit to Moscow stands as a clear testament to this strategy. On November 12, Kazakhstan’s President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev concluded a two-day state
Kazakhstan’s Middle Power Balancing Act Continue Reading >>
The Azerbaijan-UAE strategic partnership agreement aligns with Baku’s broader outreach to the Gulf region and reinforces its long-standing multi-alignment policy. More importantly, it signals a shifting geopolitical landscape – one in which Russia’s traditional dominance in the South Caucasus is waning, while the region itself becomes increasingly connected with the
Azerbaijan Courts the Gulf Region Continue Reading >>
Central Asia has emerged as an increasingly strategic priority in India’s foreign policy. Driven by regional realignments and shifting trade agreements across Eurasia, New Delhi is intensifying its engagement with the region. At the same time, the potential of bilateral cooperation remains constrained by persistent geographical hurdles, limited infrastructure, and
India’s Push into Central Asia Amid Shifting Geopolitics Continue Reading >>
Photo by Demirören News Agency Amid the volatile geopolitical situation in the Middle East and the Black Sea region, Eurasia is witnessing creation of a new trilateral partnership. As crises grip the Middle East and Black Sea region, the three nations of Azerbaijan, Turkey, and Pakistan are forging a new
By Emil Avdaliani and Joseph Epstein The evolving relationship between the five Central Asian countries and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries—comprising Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Oman—has become an axis of its own in the shifting geopolitical landscape of Eurasia. Geopolitics push them
By Emil Avdaliani Amid the ongoing US-Iran negotiations around Tehran’s nuclear program, China wants in on influencing the process to its benefit. Close commercial and energy ties with Iran and the Arab states are the drivers of Beijing’s relations with the region. China is not satisfied that the current US approach to
Uninvited but Invested: China’s Approach to the Iran Nuclear Deal Continue Reading >>
