Authors

Discussion

After the 44-day war between Armenia and Azerbaijan, a new geopolitical paradigm has emerged in the South Caucasus. In this scenario, Turkey has been establishing itself as one of the major players in what has traditionally been considered Russia’s backyard, and its increased involvement in the military and security issues of the region are meaningfully impacting the South Caucasus’ political developments.

The opening of the Joint Russian-Turkish Monitoring Centre in Agdam, Azerbaijan, established within the scope of observing the violations of the ceasefire in Karabakh, is the evidence of the far-reaching geopolitical implications of Turkey’s military engagement in the conflict. The establishment of the monitoring centre, the first military facility where the command is shared between Russia and a NATO country, has been presented by the Turkish authorities as an epochal turning point, as it allows Turkey to impress its military foothold in the South Caucasus. However, it remains unclear whether its relevance is confined to a mere symbolic representation or rather it substantially contributes to Turkey's strategic and military objectives in the region. To date, there are no studies that have explored the issue and that have provided assessments of the functionality of the centre.

This study investigates to which degree the Joint Russian-Turkish Monitoring Centre contributes to shaping the security architecture of the South Caucasus. It further examines how Turkey’s security policies have changed after the six-week war compared to its pre-war approach following the establishment of the monitoring centre. The research is developed with a qualitative analysis method, with the use of primary and secondary sources. Primary data are collected through field work, interviews, and direct observation, while secondary data are derived from the relevant existing literature and statistics.