A Year after the Second Karabakh War: The Future of Peace in South Caucasus

Last year, Armenia and Azerbaijan fought for six weeks over Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding regions in a conflict that took more than 6,500 lives. On November 9, 2020, the two sides signed an agreement brokered by Russia to end the fighting and work towards a comprehensive solution. The 2nd Karabakh War ended a decades-old frozen conflict by reversing the Armenian occupation of Azerbaijani territory. Since then, both have signaled willingness to improve relations while a new geopolitical reality has emerged. As its influence has grown, Turkey has reiterated its support for Azerbaijan and pushed for normalization of diplomatic relations in the region. Political turmoil in Armenia following the war, Russian recognition of the new conditions through a trilateral working group, and the recent flareup along the Azerbaijani-Iranian border due to Tehran’s discomfort with Baku’s close relationship with Israel have been some of the notable developments in the region.

A year after the Second Karabakh War, how does the future of peace in a region rife with instability look like? How can actors like Turkey, Russia, the US and Europe play a constructive role moving forward? What are some of the potential areas of tension that could threaten peace?

The SETA Foundation at Washington DC is pleased to host a panel of experts to discuss geopolitics in the South Caucasus.

Speakers
Luke Coffey, Director, Douglas and Sarah Allison Center for Foreign Policy at the Heritage
Foundation

Amanda Paul, Senior Policy Analyst, European Policy Centre

Moderator
Kadir Ustun, Executive Director, The SETA Foundation at Washington, DC