Afghanistan's convergence of momentary stability has allowed for the world to take shop in developing relations with the new regime. Founding chairman of the Central Asia-Caucasus Institute, Frederick Star, writes how the United States and the world has decided to partake in deplomacy.

Keeping the faith? Armenia has launched large scale crackdowns on its religious leadership only comparable to the Soviet years. Why is Armenia putting itself in a domestic showdown with the Catholic Church and what does it mean for regional stability? Read:

The world wants in on the Central Asia sweepstakes and the EU is inching closer to making that a reality. The Enhanced Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (ECPA) will be the next step in the EU's collaboration in Tajikistan. What does it mean for Europe and the rest of the world?

What do young people in Central Asia, the Caucasus, and Afghanistan think about the world around them? New Silk Road Paper edited by Dr. S. Frederick Starr examines generational change across the CAMCA region. 🔗 buff.ly/tpr8Kxr #CentralAsia #Caucasus #Youth #SilkRoadPapers #CACI

Can Nordic lessons in cooperation guide Central Asia’s next phase of integration? CACI’s Svante Cornell and John Engvall explore the promise of a C5+5 Nordic–Central Asia dialogue and what both regions can learn from each other. Full article:

Yesterday, CACI Chairman S. Frederick Starr testified before the Senate Subcommittee on Europe and Regional Security Cooperation The topic of the hearing was “The Future of U.S. Black Sea Strategy” Full testimony:

New from CACI: Barçın Yinanç on Turkey’s Kurdish dilemma. How can Ankara pursue peace at home while confronting Kurdish autonomy in Syria—without risking U.S. ties or derailing its domestic peace process? Full article: buff.ly/CTgs8Vq

New from CACI: A forum on the future of regional cooperation in Central Asia. Dr. Kushkumbayev, Amb. Vakhabov, Dr. Starr, and Dr. Cornell examine lessons from failed unions, the rise of pragmatic cooperation, and the path toward deeper institutionalization. Full spotlight:

Russia’s $160B rainy-day fund? Gone. Over 1.2 million young men? Dead or too wounded to work. Infrastructure? Crumbling. S. Frederick Starr lays it out bluntly: “The Russian state is literally bankrupt.”

New from CACI: Stephen Blank on why the U.S. should seize the chance to revive Georgia’s Anaklia port project. Such a move could reshape trade routes, counter Russian and Chinese influence, and boost Central Asia’s ties to the West. Full article: buff.ly/51ARX5h

“Russia is definitely and unquestionably losing this war.” – S. Frederick Starr, Russia expert and longtime New Orleanian. Starr points to Russia’s broken economy, shattered military, and rising internal chaos as proof that Putin’s war is unraveling.

Could U.S. secondary sanctions on Russian oil imports backfire in Central Asia and the South Caucasus? New CACI analysis warns they risk alienating key partners and driving states closer to Moscow. Full article:

Iran is unsettled by the U.S.-brokered Armenia–Azerbaijan peace deal and the new TRIPP corridor. Our latest analysis explores what Tehran fears most: loss of leverage, U.S. presence on its border, and shifting regional alliances. Full article:

Spotlight from last month: How can Nordic experience with cooperation guide Central Asia’s new C5+5 format? Our analysis points to lessons on energy, water, mobility, and resilience. Read here:

Governing from the shadows. A new CACI feature contends Ivanishvili has built an illiberal system that squeezes out opposition and civil society—pushing Georgia closer to a “quasi-dictatorship.” Full read: buff.ly/pfdUxoO

Is Central Asia more fragile than it looks? Violence in 2022 across Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan & the Kyrgyz-Tajik border raised tough questions about stability. New Silk Road Paper by Svante E. Cornell: buff.ly/wINrwaD #CentralAsia #Security

What matters more for the West: a democratic Georgia or a cooperative Georgia? Our new Silk Road Paper explores the stakes of this choice for the Caucasus and beyond. Read here: buff.ly/fdgJm0B

Greater Central Asia offers opportunities for U.S. strategy—if Washington acts. Read here: buff.ly/apn5lzf

“Georgia’s democracy is on life support.” Alex Scrivener warns that Georgian Dream’s tightening grip risks undoing decades of democratic progress. Can Georgia be brought back from the brink? Read here: ishortn.ink/GeorgiasSpiral

Can Armenia consolidate as a democratic, pro-Western anchor — or will it be pulled back into Moscow’s orbit? Read here: buff.ly/IYEgyoA

🚨 Webinar Alert: A New Central Asia? From Past Attempts to Future Cooperation 🚨 Date & Time: Septemeber 12, 2025, 9:00-110:00 AM EST Join us as the Central Asia-Caucasus Institute brings together leading experts to discuss the dynamics of Central Asian cooperation. 🔗 Register: buff.ly/3G1GEON

As Central Asia builds new regional institutions today, lessons from the Central Asian Union (1990–2005) remain vital. Read the Silk Road Paper by Dr. Sanat Kushkumbayev: buff.ly/66Qq0wQ

“Central Asia’s cooperation is shifting from ad hoc meetings to real institutions.” An emerging common identity is strengthening trade, energy, and regional security. Read Here: buff.ly/2VBMKOF

"By legitimizing the Taliban, Russia risks reinforcing a wider terrorist ecosystem across Central and South Asia." Russia is the first major state to formally recognize the Taliban. Will this partnership against ISIS-K strengthen security or empower jihadist networks? buff.ly/vqdq6IC

After many years of unclear U.S. policies towards Central Asia and the Caucasus, the Trump Administration has made a major move to upgrade U.S. presence in the Caucasus. Read our full analysis here:

Join us for a discussion with Ambassador George Krol, Professor at the U.S. Naval War College, and Dr. Svante Cornell from the American Foreign Policy Council's Central Asia-Caucasus Institute. Sign up here: buff.ly/zU3YZ8Y

Washington needs to do a better job of coordinating its private sector partnerships and investments in the Greater Central Asian region. Read our full analysis here: buff.ly/ubDVcoe

By stopping Russia’s revenues from its petrostate war economy, the U.S. seeks to thwart Russian advances in Ukraine. But imposing tariffs on post-Soviet countries dependent on Russia for energy could undermine years of U.S. and EU engagement. Read our full analysis here:

The recent Israeli and American strikes on Iran’s nuclear program led many to speculate about the potential for fundamental political change in Iran. But weeks later, hopes for internal transformation have dimmed. Read more here:

How is the Nordic experience of regional cooperation relevant to the distant Central Asia? Read more on this intriguing topic here: buff.ly/EprDyZv

The political rift between the Armenian Apostolic Church and PM Nikol Pashinyan has escalated. The outcome of the conflict will shape Armenia’s democracy, identity, and foreign policy. Read the full article here: buff.ly/yhLtFuG

"As Armenia prepares for the 2026 parliamentary elections, the question is not merely whether it will choose the West, but whether it can do so while preserving stability, democratic progress, and national sovereignty." Read John DiPirro's full article here:

As peace talks with Azerbaijan progress and the U.S. backs the Zangezur Corridor, Armenia faces a defining choice: break free from Russian influence and align with the West, or risk sliding back into dependency. Read the full article by John DiPirro:

The IMF’s Dr. Subir Lall explains why market-based reforms are essential to securing long-term growth in Central Asia and the South Caucasus. The region faces what Lall calls its most historic moment since the collapse of the Soviet Union. Watch the full webinar here: bit.ly/3TTurJH

Western policy failures have culminated in a strategic paradox that now defines Western engagement with Georgia: the choice between prioritizing democratic principles or maintaining cooperative relations. Read the full paper here: bit.ly/44YNOG6

The IMF's Subir Lall describes the economic importance of Central Asia and the South Caucasus. In the recent CACI webinar, Dr. Subir Lall joins the AFPC's Dr. Mamuka Tsereteli to offer an in-depth analysis of the economic outlook for the region. Watch the full webinar here: bit.ly/3TTurJH

As Georgia stands at a crossroads, what role should Western engagement play? CACI’s latest Silk Road Paper examines the legacy of Western involvement and assess its future amid the evolving politics of the Georgian Dream era. Read the full analysis: buff.ly/XN9Vs78

At the June 25 meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Pakistan succeeded in presenting the unrest in Baluchistan as a matter of SCO concern, whereas India was unable to garner support for its narrative on Kashmir. Read our full analysis here: buff.ly/9tYEmuT

View our recent webinar "Is Central Asia Stable?" here:

View our recent webinar on "An American Strategy for Greater Central Asia" here:

Kazakhstan has finalized its decision regarding the bidder selected to construct its inaugural nuclear power plant. Contrary to earlier projections favoring a Chinese provider, the Russian state corporation Rosatom has assumed the leading role. Read in full here:

The status of the South Caucasus, which has seen varying degrees of U.S. engagement and interest over the years, has become increasingly unclear in the Trump administration’s foreign policy. Read a full analysis:

The 12-day war between Israel and Iran, and Israel’s demonstration of its crushing military superiority, has added renewed urgency to the Turkish efforts to achieve reconciliation with the Kurds. More than anything else, Turkey fears a Kurdish alliance with Israel. Read more here:

The status of the South Caucasus, which has seen varying degrees of U.S. engagement and interest over the years, has become increasingly unclear in the Trump administration’s foreign policy. Read our analysis here:

Want a primer on Abkhazia? CACI's Director of Programs Laura Linderman was on the @redlinepodcast to talk about the latest developments. Listen here:

Kazakhstan’s decision to appoint the Russian energy company Rosatom as the head of the international consortium is readily explicable and can be attributed to its logic of “do-not-poke-the-bear” thinking and other geopolitical factors. Read our full analysis here:

As external powers have long dominated Central Asia and the Caucasus through institutions like Russia's EAEU and China's SCO, a new regional initiative called CAMCA is emerging. Read a full analysis here:

Join us for a conversation with Subir Lall, Deputy Director of the IMF's Middle East and Central Asia Department, and Mamuka Tsereteli from the American Foreign Policy Council's Central Asia-Caucasus Institute. July 2, 2025 | 10:00-11:00 AM ET | Register here: buff.ly/PjWEb1T

The fourth session of the India–Central Asia Dialogue earlier underlined how India has joined Russia and China in advancing efforts to expand trade routes through Central Asia, intensifying great power competition in the region. Read the full analysis here: bit.ly/44m0gj0

One year ago today, attacks in Dagestan that targeted Orthodox churches, synagogues, and a police traffic stop left 26 dead, signaling a dangerous revival of jihadism in the region. Read the full analysis here: bit.ly/4k2pE30