Middle Corridor becomes South Caucasus’ peace project as Ankara, Yerevan reopen trade |
The unfolding geopolitical landscape of the South Caucasus is currently witnessing a transformation that few would have predicted even half a decade ago. For decades, the region was defined by frozen conflicts, closed borders, and a zero-sum mentality that stifled economic potential and kept neighbouring nations in a state of perpetual suspicion. However, the recent announcement by the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs regarding the restoration of direct trade with Armenia, finalised on May 11, 2026, is not an isolated diplomatic event. Instead, it serves as the crowning achievement of a broader, pragmatic shift toward what can be described as a functional peace, a reality where economic necessity and logistical logic finally begin to outweigh historical grievances.
To understand the weight of this development, one must look at the quiet but steady de-escalation that has taken place on the ground between Azerbaijan and Armenia. For a significant period now, the frontlines have remained silent. The absence of gunfire and the cessation of soldier casualties represent a rare phenomenon in the post-independence history of these two........