... over Nagorno-Karabakh.
Ruslan Mamedov, Olga Pylova:
On the Road to “Strategic Depth” in the Black Sea Region
Similarly, the Transnistrian Settlement Process, and the development of Moldova as a whole, are inextricably linked to Romania and Ukraine. Turkey is a strategic ally of Azerbaijan and the primary geopolitical opponent of Armenia. Meanwhile, Russia is looking for ways to build up its positions in the Balkans. The self-determination of the former Serbian Autonomous Province of Kosovo is of vital importance to the Black Sea Region as a whole. Some see it as an example of “humanitarian intervention” and so-called “remedial secession” to prevent ...
... this respect, interaction between Russia and the West still has a significant influence on the situation. European countries and the European Union as a whole, as well as the United States, are stepping up their activity in the Balkans in a big way. Russia has also increased its presence in the region, relying to a greater degree on economic and humanitarian cooperation. However, the Balkans remain attractive for other actors as well, with Turkey, China and the Persian Gulf states exhibiting a growing interest in a region. In that respect, it would be useful to explore the influence that external factors have on the situation in the region.
At the same time, we can see that internal factors ...
... that assure their influence on the pan-European processes as well as strengthen their positions in the global confrontation. Russia, China, Turkey, and Saudi Arabia, which are accumulating more and more influence in the region, taken separately, are not so powerful.... ... However, they have never even planned to offer an alternative.
Most politicians and commentators agree that, as a result, the Balkans are turning into a tinderbox, just as they were a century ago. Existing problems are still not solved, while new ones ...
... the Balkans means a loss of standing in southeast Europe, which will limit room for action in the Mediterranean. That will result in the European Union and NATO exerting even greater pressure on the Transcaucasian states and Belarus. The loss of the Balkans will narrow Russia's room for manoeuvre in its relations with Turkey, a country that is bolstering its standing in Southeast Europe. Russia's position in its talks with China will weaken; for China, the Balkans is the final point in the New Silk Road and a region that is nearly unknown from the point of view of ...
... and other countries. The following issues were discussed in the course of the meeting: pending issues of the situation in the Balkans, in the Middle East, and in the Turkic world in the context of general complication of the international situation and sharply strained relations between Russia and the West.
Andrey Kortunov, RIAC Director General, and Sergey Markov, public figure and political scientist, took part in the meeting. Hüseyin Diriöz, the Ambassador of Turkey to Russia, moderated the meeting.
... accusing Qatar of working closely with Iran.
Saudi Arabia’s 13 demands on Qatar — with Turkey backing up Qatar — appear eerily reminiscent of Austro-Hungarian demands on... ... that epoch. Could
conflicts in the wider Middle East
,’ much like conflicts in the Balkans prior to World War I, similarly draw in regional and major powers — and then... ... Washington has tightened sanctions against Moscow in June 2017 — in part due to perceived Russian interference in the U.S. presidential elections and in part due to lack of progress...