War and Peace in the Caucasus
The emergence of the new states of the Caucasus has been strained by territorial disputes. Conflicts smolder in Chechnya, Abkhazia and Nagorno-Karabakh. Terrorism and extremism have spread into the region from neighboring Middle East and Central Asia. Islam has emerged as a factor of public life. Caspian oil and its transit routes to the West have become the object of rivalry between major powers. How these challenges are met will determine the security outlook for Russia, Europe and, in part, the United States.
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Translations
- Русский
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Militant Attack on Tsentoroi Village
The militant attack on Chechen President Ramzan Kadyrov’s home village has shown the vulnerability of the Kadyrov regime, which is commonly considered the most successful in the North Caucasus and quite capable of guaranteeing stability.
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The Wider Implications of the Russian-Armenian Defense Deal
If Russia wants to be a principal security provider and peace guarantor in the CIS space, it will need to refocus its strategy away from resisting NATO's drive and U.S. deployments and toward conflict prevention and conflict resolution.
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How to Make Peace With Georgia
The Russian government should use soft power to win back sympathy from the Georgian population in preparation for the end of Georgian President Saakashvili’s term in office in 2013.
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Armenia and Turkey: Bridging the Gap
While there is virtually no hope that the 2009 Armenian–Turkish Protocols will be ratified soon, both parties should take steps to rebuild confidence and affirm their faith in the process.
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Building Relations with the Muslim World
The tense relations between the Muslim world and the rest of the world remain one of the biggest problems in global politics today. Moving forward, both sides must work together to recognize the inevitability of conflict and seek avenues for peaceful mitigation.
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Twenty Years of Religious Freedom in Russia
Post-Soviet Russia has witnessed an expansion of religious freedom and a change in the relationship between religious entities and the state. Religious movements that had all but disappeared under the Soviet regime have been experiencing a revival.
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Dagestan: A New Flashpoint in Russia's North Caucasus
Grave violence plagues the North Caucasus, which should be a key humanitarian concern for Europe. But the economic crisis will largely determine how much will be done to help the region.
Featured Event
Abkhazia: Peacebuilding and Business
Through business connections, Georgia and Abkhazia can discover opportunities for mutually beneficial engagement that could improve socio-economic conditions in Abkhazia, build confidence on both sides, and eventually help resolve the conflict there.
Experts
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Alexey Malashenko
Alexey Malashenko, an expert on Russian and Eurasian politics, is also a professor at the Moscow State Institute of International Relations. -
Dmitri Trenin
Trenin has been with the Carnegie Moscow Center since its inception. He was previously a senior research fellow at the NATO Defense College in Rome and the Institute of Europe in Moscow. He served in the Soviet and Russian armed forces from 1972 to 1993.