The impact of the 2022 Ukraine War on transit corridors in the Caucasus region

Document Type : Original

Authors

Department of International Relations, Faculty of Humanities, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran.

Abstract

The war in Ukraine is arguably the most significant tension between Russia and the West since the Cold War, with far-reaching consequences beyond Ukraine itself. The neighboring Caucasus region, in particular, has been greatly impacted by this conflict. This study aims to explore the effects of the war in Ukraine on the economic corridors of the Caucasus. The researchers test the hypothesis that the increased economic risks resulting from the war, Russia's diverted attention to Ukraine, and Europe's search for alternative energy sources are three crucial factors that enhance the significance of the economic corridors in the Caucasus. The research data indicates that, since the onset of the war in Ukraine, transit routes for goods and energy passing through the Caucasus, such as the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipelines, the western corridor of the north-south corridor, the Trasica corridor, and the Zangzor corridor, have gained considerable attention and favor by regional and extra-regional actors. Furthermore, it is anticipated that China will increasingly express interest in the Caucasus region for its One Belt One Road project in the near future.

Keywords

Main Subjects

حوزة موضوعی: اوکراین، روسیه، قفقاز

Scope: Ukraine, Russia, Caucasus

References

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Journal of Countries Studies
Volume 2, Issue 1
2024
Pages 35-63

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History

  • Receive Date: 30 August 2023
  • Revise Date: 06 October 2023
  • Accept Date: 07 October 2023

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