Why did the Russian peacekeepers come and why did they leave?

Turkey and Armenia are preparing to launch direct trade after completing bureaucratic preparations, but prospects for the full opening of their shared border still depend on Azerbaijan’s position and the outcome of Armenia’s upcoming parliamentary elections.

In the early 2000s, human trafficking in the South Caucasus was associated primarily with clandestine routes, the movement of women across borders, and criminal networks operating between the post-Soviet space, Turkey and the Gulf states.

In the political language of the post-Soviet space, phrases such as “a civilized divorce” are rarely heard. Yet it was precisely this formula that Russian President Vladimir Putin used while commenting on Armenia’s growing aspirations toward European integration. Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan responded with a remark that was no less revealing: “We sometimes confuse interstate relations with marriage.”

As parliamentary elections approach in Armenia, political tensions are increasing. The country’s authorities are building their election campaign around peace with Azerbaijan, closer relations with Europe, and regional cooperation.