Irakli Laitadze explores how South Ossetia’s 2026 “presidential election” reflects deepening political, security, and economic integration with Russia, and what it means for Georgia’s sovereignty and South Caucasus stability. Read the full piece at the link below. buff.ly/FXluFzh

South Ossetia’s 2026 “Presidential Election” and Russia’s Influence in the South Caucasus

<p dir="ltr"><em>By: Irakli Laitadze</em></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>On September 30, 2026,...

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New analysis by Stephen Blank: Dushanbe is quietly testing the limits of Moscow’s grip. Stephen Blank explains why Russia’s decline is opening new room for Tajikistan. buff.ly/BOrnkvt Want updates in your inbox? Subscribe through our substack: @centralasiacaucasusinstitute.

Tajikistan Steps Out and Stands Up

<p dir="ltr"><em>By: Stephen Blank </em></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Much has been...

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Couldn’t join us live for our timely discussion on Russian diesel and fuel security in Central Asia and the Caucasus? No worries, the full recording is now on our YouTube channel: buff.ly/oiLcN3M Watch at your convenience, and share your thoughts in the comments!

Running on Fumes:Russian Diesel and Fuel Security (A Perspective from Central Asia and the Caucasus)

Watch a timely discussion unfold on the Russian diesel dilemma with AFPC Senior Fellow for Eurasia and CACI Director of Programs, Laura Linderman and Dr. Theresa Sabonis-Helf, Professor of Practice…

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How is technology rewriting the rules of war? AFPC visiting fellow Niklas Nilsson co-edited Russia’s War in Ukraine and Modern Warfare: Strategy, Tactics, and Technology, a deep look at what Ukraine is teaching us about modern conflict. Out now from Oxford University Press: buff.ly/5cu6JpS.

New CACI analysis by Vusal Guliyev: Baku may soon join the Lianyungang–Khorgos–Aktau “Three Nodes” logistics chain. What it means for Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, China. Read the article here: buff.ly/ChgLh3Q Want updates in your inbox? Subscribe through our Substack: @centralasiacaucasusinstitute.

Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan and China Coordinate Logistics Along The Middle Corridor

<p dir="ltr"><em>By: Vusal Guliyev  </em></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Azer...

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New CACI Analyst Article: "South Korea's Central Asia Push: From Summit Diplomacy to Economic Partnership" Takeaways: 1. Seoul wants diversification; Central Asia wants transformation 2. A viable path for engagement is specialized, bilateral investments Read here: buff.ly/WhXuyi5

South Korea's Central Asia Push: From Summit Diplomacy to Economic Partnership

<p dir="ltr"><em>By: Mathieu Lemoine </em></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>South Korea’...

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Watch Dr. Frederick S. Starr, chairman of CACI and distinguished fellow for Eurasia, as he speaks about the future of the 5 Central Asian nations and their relationship with Azerbaijan. Link to the original video here: buff.ly/71aD0Wc

Inside politics | C5+1: New chapter for Azerbaijan and central Asia

A new chapter in regional cooperation is taking shape as the C5+1 brings Azerbaijan and the five Central Asian nations closer together. From trade and connectivity to energy and strategic…

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New Article: "Öcalan’s Impasse: What’s next for the Kurdish Movement in Turkey?" Key takeaways: 1. The amnesty bill passed overwhelmingly but exposed divisions 2. Öcalan's agreement to disarm and dissolve the PKK without prior agreement with Turkey has raised speculation Read at: buff.ly/DJ65Nvg

Öcalan’s Impasse: What’s next for the Kurdish Movement in Turkey?

<p><em>By: Halil Karaveli</em></p> <p><em>The peace process between the PKK and the Turkish state has imposed neut...

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Under Viktor Orbán, Hungary’s engagement with the OTS served both practical and ideological purposes. However, Prime Minister Peter Magyar has signaled a clear rhetorical break, placing Hungary’s future firmly within the European Union. Read the analysis here: buff.ly/cOra6IZ buff.ly/Y1sfU07

Russia and Iran are moving closer to implementing a long-negotiated natural gas agreement, with Azerbaijan as the preferred transit route for Russian gas exports to Iran. Read Vali Kaleji's analysis here: buff.ly/cOra6IZ

For the future of the China–Kyrgyzstan–Uzbekistan (CKU) railway and Middle Corridor connectivity, the durability of this Caucasus terminus may matter as much as the eastern infrastructure itself. Read Kordirjon Eshonkulov's analysis here: buff.ly/I5XIsnN

The Afghan Taliban’s growing investment in drone technology reflects a broader global trend where actors with limited resources use affordable drone systems to challenge better-equipped opponents like Pakistan.

Russia no longer runs conflict management in the South Caucasus. Mathieu Lemoine on what Armenia's June elections change (and what they don't): the peace process with Azerbaijan, transit through Syunik, and whether Yerevan can turn its mandate into something durable

Two rival westward corridors. Two competing railways through Afghanistan. Nargiza Umarova in the CACI Analyst on why Central Asia needs a unified transport strategy before external powers set the corridor agenda: buff.ly/m5YaWPR

Regional Connectivity and Central Asia’s Need for a Unified Strategy

<p dir="ltr"><em>By Nargiza Umarova</em></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>In early June, Istanbul...

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The June 14th U.S.-Iran ceasefire has reshaped the strategic importance of overland trade routes across Central Asia and the South Caucasus. Here are our key takeaways: • The conflict exposed Iran’s reliance on the Strait of Hormuz, accelerating its push for overland connections through Afghanistan

Armenia’s parliamentary elections may have set the country on a new geopolitical course. Here are our key takeaways: • Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan secured a governing majority on a platform of peace with Azerbaijan and closer engagement with the West.

The election of Patriarch Shio III marks a new chapter for the Georgian Orthodox Church. Here are our key takeaways: • Shio III’s election could strengthen the pull of the Church’s conservative wing and reshape its role in Georgian politics.

Eighteen years after the 2008 Russo-Georgian War, the key question is how Georgia began drifting away from Europe despite overwhelming public support for EU integration. This analysis explores how Moscow’s hybrid warfare strategy succeeded where military force failed.

Georgia was once the backbone of U.S. strategy in the South Caucasus. Under Georgian Dream, it's tilting toward Russia, China, and Iran.

Seeking a Reset in the South Caucasus

The current trajectory of the ruling Georgian Dream (GD) party is a direct challenge to a continued American stake in the region. In recent years, GD policy has been aimed at diminishing Washington’s…

statecraftandstrategy.com

When a former Foreign Minister of Georgia and longtime Ambassador to the US tells you the difference between pragmatism and transactionalism, it's worth a read. Amb. Tedo Japaridze has a sharp new essay on our Substack.

Armenia’s recent elections may mark a turning point in the country’s geopolitical trajectory. Here are our key takeaways: • Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s victory provides a renewed mandate for closer ties with the EU and the West.

The latest Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) Summit highlighted the challenges facing geopolitical integration. Here are our key takeaways: • The EAEU seems to have reached its peak in composition and geopolitical design.

Pakistan is expanding its role as a regional transit hub through new Eurasian trade corridors. Here are our key takeaways: • New connectivity initiatives are expanding Pakistan’s role in linking Central Asia to global markets.

How Pakistan Is Reshaping Eurasian Trade Corridors

<p dir="ltr"><em>By Umair Jamal</em></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Pakistan has <a href=&qu...

cacianalyst.org

Russia’s new restrictions on migrant children are reshaping educational mobility in Central Asia. Here are our key takeaways: • Russia’s stricter language and enrollment requirements are weakening its long-standing role as the region’s default education destination.

Central Asia's Educational Mobility Is Moving Beyond Its Old Default

<p dir="ltr"><em>By Jordan N. Troisi</em></p> <p><em>Russia’s recent school enrollment restrict...

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Armenia keeps deepening ties with the EU, but membership isn't actually the goal. Here's what's really going on: • At the recent Armenia–EU Summit, Yerevan expanded cooperation but pointedly did not pursue accession talks, despite having every European decision-maker in the room.

The EU-Armenia Summit and Armenia's European Aspirations

<p dir="ltr"><em>By Suren Sargsyan</em></p> <p><em>On May 4-5, Yerevan hosted two significant e...

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Armenia is strengthening ties with the European Union, but full membership remains a distant prospect. Here are our key takeaways: • Armenia expanded cooperation with the EU at the recent Armenia–EU Summit, but did not pursue accession talks.

✨ What made the Timurid era one of the greatest eras of extraordinary cultural achievement in history? In this fascinating article, Dr. S. Frederick Starr argues that Timurid achievements in art, architecture, literature, science and education cannot be understood in isolation.

Notes on the Context of Timurid Culture

By S. Frederick Starr

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Pakistan and Iran are expanding regional connectivity through new overland trade routes. Here are our key takeaways: • Six new road corridors now link Pakistan’s ports to Iran, creating new pathways for trade with Central Asia.

Armenia is trying to break Russia’s decades-long grip over its critical infrastructure. Here are our key takeaways: • Since 2008, Armenia’s railway system has been controlled by a Russian state-owned company under a concession agreement lasting until 2048.

Armenia Seeks to Reduce Russia's Monopoly on Railway Infrastructure

<p dir="ltr"><em>By Vali Kaleji </em></p> <p><em>While the Armenian government appears...

cacianalyst.org

In the latest from CACI Analyst, authors Masom Jan Masomy and Eldaniz Gusseinov discuss how China is testing its role as a global stabilizer in the Afghan-Pakistan conflict. Read it on our website, or subscribe to our Substack to stay up-to-date on our publications!