Italy in Beijing: The 2024-2027 Action Plan’s legacy vs Sanchez-Xi understanding

The Italian Minister of Foreign Affairs Antonio Tajani has just concluded his three-day mission in China, where he met with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi together with the Chinese Minister of Commerce Wang Wentao in Beijing. The diplomatic meeting was part of the continuation of the 2024–2027 Italy–China Three-Year Action Plan, which was  signed by…

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Moldova at a strategic crossroads: how the revival of the union debate reveals Moldova’s geopolitical uncertainty

In early 2026, Moldovan President Maia Sandu’s remark unexpectedly rekindled a highly sensitive and historically charged issue: the potential unification with Romania. During a public interview, she said she would personally support such a move if it were decided in a national referendum. While presented as a personal view rather than an official policy, the…

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PIVOT TO THE EAST: What Armenia and Azerbaijan Can Learn from Central Asian Cooperation?

Policy analysis of the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict has relied, often unreflectively, on a narrow set of Western-brokered settlements as its comparative reference points. Yet these cases carry with them assumptions that bear little resemblance to the post-Soviet realities of the region. The result has been a policy conversation that is well-furnished with precedent but poorly matched…

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Rusif Huseynov contributed chapter to a newly published book — Turkey in Eurasia: Endeavors and Encounters

Rusif Huseynov contributed chapter to a newly published book — Turkey in Eurasia: Endeavors and Encounters. He is co-author of Chapter 11: “Political Economy of Turkey’s Policies in Eurasia,” alongside Anar Valiyev and Shujaat Ahmadzada. This book provides an analysis of Turkish foreign policy towards Eurasia in the post-Soviet era. Focussing on the sub-regions of the…

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Measuring Strategic Pressure and Global Energy Risks in the Strait of Hormuz in 2026

The Strait of Hormuz returned to the center of global strategic risk calculations following the launch of the “Smart Control of the Strait of Hormuz” exercise on February 16, 2026. During the drill, the commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy publicly stated that Iranian forces could close the waterway “upon orders from the…

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Kadyrov’s Declining Health Spurs Succession Speculation

Executive Summary: Rumors have circulated throughout January that the strongman leader of Chechnya, Ramzan Kadyrov, is suffering from kidney failure, sparking speculation about his successor and the durability of personalized regional governance in Russia amid leadership transition. Kadyrov has attempted to institutionalize a quasi-hereditary system by promoting family members into senior political and security roles….

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Rusif HUSEYNOV: “Direct Armenian–Azerbaijan Engagement Is a Genuine Breakthrough”

20.01.2026 (Caucasian Journal) Today, the Caucasian Journal welcomes Dr. Rusif HUSEYNOV, a distinguished Azerbaijani political analyst and the co-founder and CEO of the Baku-based think tank, the Topchubashov Center. He has first-hand knowledge of key developments not only in Baku but across all regional directions.  A widely cited expert, Dr. Huseynov offers an essential regional perspective on the evolving dialogue around…

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