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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky calls for European army

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky calls for European army

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky has called for the creation of an "army of Europe" to guard against Russia as he suggested the US may no longer come to the continent's aid. Speaking at the Munich Security Conference on Saturday, he also said that Ukraine would "never accept deals made behind our backs without our involvement" after US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin agreed to start peace talks.
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European Parliament adopts resolution on Georgia, calls for sanctions and new elections

European Parliament adopts resolution on Georgia, calls for sanctions and new elections

The European Parliament adopted a resolution on Thursday regarding the political crisis in Georgia with 400 votes in favour, 63 against and 81 abstentions. The resolution called for sanctions against former Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili, his associates, government officials and media figures linked to the ruling Georgian Dream party, while urging the EU to withhold recognition of the current government and call for new elections.

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Analysis
Analysis: The tale of two elections: Implications for the South Caucasus

Analysis: The tale of two elections: Implications for the South Caucasus

As the US presidential election approaches, many are assessing the implications of a Donald Trump or Kamala Harris administration in different parts of the world. Commentators on the South Caucasus are no exception. The Biden administration established a Washington format to facilitate Armenia–Azerbaijan negotiations and took steps to further US–Armenia relations, making a decision to upgrade the status of a strategic dialogue launched in 2019 to a strategic partnership commission. The Biden administration also invested efforts in thawing relations between Armenia and Turkey, viewing this as essential for regional stability. US officials view normalising Armenia–Turkey relations as crucial for reducing Russian influence and decreasing Armenia’s dependency on Russia.
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Armenia and Kazakhstan strengthen bilateral ties

Armenia and Kazakhstan strengthen bilateral ties

The President of Armenia will make an official visit to Kazakhstan on Tuesday (15 October) to discuss further strengthening of Kazakh-Armenian cooperation with Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev. The two leaders will discuss cooperation in various political and economic areas, such as trade and migration, as well as enhancing cultural and humanitarian exchanges. 
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Opinion
Opinion: Can Armenia and Azerbaijan finally reach an agreement by COP29?

Opinion: Can Armenia and Azerbaijan finally reach an agreement by COP29?

As this year's United Nations Climate Change Conference in Baku draws closer, negotiations between Armenia and Azerbaijan appear to be drifting further apart. Despite hopes that the opposite would be true, a lack of clarity and confusion instead continues to reign. Does the draft Agreement on Peace and Establishment of Interstate Relations contain 17 points or 16? Initially, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan had announced that consensus had been reached on 13 points while 3 were partially agreed and there was no agreement at all on a fourth. Since then, official statements and media in Armenia instead refers to 16 points though Yerevan has reportedly ditched the three incomplete articles to make only 13.
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European Union cancels 121 million euros in funding for Georgia

European Union cancels 121 million euros in funding for Georgia

The European Union has decided to cancel €121 million in funds intended to support Georgia's economic development and its aspirations for EU membership. The decision was confirmed by the EU delegation in Georgia, which said that the growing repression of dissent was the reason for the withdrawal of financial assistance.
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Bonn Contact Group on Climate Peace and Security ahead of COP29 final report presentation was held successfully in Berlin

Bonn Contact Group on Climate Peace and Security ahead of COP29 final report presentation was held successfully in Berlin

The Bonn Contact Group on Climate, Peace and Security ahead of COP29, held its final report presentation on 9 October at the Hertie School in Berlin, Germany. The meeting was attended by representatives of Berlin-based civil society organisations, policymakers, academics and international organisations. The meeting focused on three critical reports examining the intersections of climate change with water scarcity, land degradation and food insecurity. The event was organised by LINKS Europe in collaboration with the Restart Initiative and the Candid Foundation. 
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Russia agrees to withdraw border guards from the Armenian-Iranian border

Russia agrees to withdraw border guards from the Armenian-Iranian border

On Tuesday (8 October), Russian President Vladimir Putin and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan agreed at the summit of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) to withdraw Russian border guards from the Armenian-Iranian frontier as of January 2025 and replace them with Armenian border guards. In addition, the Turkish border will be guarded by both Russian and Armenian guards.
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US Helsinki Commission assesses political situation in South Caucasus

US Helsinki Commission assesses political situation in South Caucasus

The US Helsinki Commission on Tuesday (1 October) published an analysis of Russia's political and economic agenda. The document addresses, among other things, various developments in the South Caucasus. The region is experiencing various political shifts as Russia's material influence wanes due to its focus on its war with Ukraine. On the one hand. Armenia was once one of Russia's strongest allies. However, following the Nagorno Karabakh war in 2020, Armenia has moved away from Moscow and more towards a Western agenda. On the other hand, Azerbaijan has adopted a cooperative approach with Russia, especially given the similarities between the two countries' strong governmental grip.   
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Rutte visits Ukraine on first working trip as NATO chief

Rutte visits Ukraine on first working trip as NATO chief

NATO's new Secretary General Mark Rutte visited Kyiv on Thursday (3 October). It is Rutte's first working trip since officially taking office earlier this week. Earlier, Rutte announced that Ukraine's NATO membership would be one of the spearheads of his policy.