Ankara and Yerevan move toward reopening Kars–Gyumri railway

The security system of Armenia, Georgia, and Azerbaijan currently cannot be unified in the full sense of the term: the three countries have differing threats, alliances, and foreign policy orientations. Nevertheless, a functioning regional model is possible if it is built around shared rules rather than around a single center of power.

When Ilham Aliyev arrived in the Georgian capital on April 6, the symbolism was unmistakable: flags lining the central avenues, meticulously observed protocol, and a series of high-level meetings designed to demonstrate continuity in a region often characterized by uncertainty.

For decades, the late Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia, Ilia II, remained one of the most influential figures in the country — a religious leader whose authority extended far beyond the church and into the fragile political and social architecture of the South Caucasus.

The process of normalizing relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan, launched after a meeting between Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan in Washington in August 2025, is continuing in gradual steps.