The South Caucasus: Energy Hub Or Flashpoint Of The New Cold War

This Op-Ed analyzes the South Caucasus as a critical geopolitical junction between Asia and Europe, comprising Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia. The region's strategic value stems from its energy resources, transit corridors, and historical legacy as a frontier between empires. The article highlights how the disintegration of the Soviet Union invited global actors into the sphere, particularly influencing the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict. Israel's supply of drones to Azerbaijan has altered military dynamics, while India is emerging as a strategic partner for Armenia to balance Turkish and Azerbaijani influence. Georgia serves as a key energy transit hub for Western strategies, navigating between EU and Russian interests. Armenia, facing post-conflict realities after losing Nagorno-Karabakh, is diversifying security alliances with support from its influential diaspora. Azerbaijan leverages its hydrocarbon wealth and secular identity to maintain a multivector foreign policy, avoiding overdependence on any single power. The region remains central to North-South and East-West connectivity routes, making it a potential flashpoint in broader great power competition.