Leading Russian and Armenian analysts  discuss infrastructural  redivision of the Greater Caucasus

ArmInfo.Today, the Institute of China and Modern Contemporary Asia (ICSA) of the Russian Academy of Sciences hosted an international roundtable discussion, "Critical Infrastructure of the Greater Caucasus in the Context of Geoeconomic  Competition." The discussion was moderated by Vahe Davtyan, Leading  Researcher at ICSA RAS, and Evgeniya Goryushina, Head of the Caucasus  Studies Sector at ICSA RAS.

The event brought together leading Caucasus experts, political  scientists, and economists to examine how changes in transport,  energy, and digital networks are reshaping the region's geopolitical  map. The analysts focused on the competition between four global  projects: China's One Belt, One Road Initiative (BRI), Europe's  Global Gateway, the North-South Corridor, and the TRACECA transport  network. 

The core of the discussion centered on the clash of two logistical  lines, examining the North-South corridor, TRACECA, Turkey's energy  hub, and the Digital Silk Way as links in the Sino-European transport  confrontation—or potential cooperation. Participants discussed  Europe's strategic focus on diversification, risk mitigation, and  bypassing Russia.

The EU's attempt to anchor Central Asia through Caspian transit and  South Caucasian networks is turning Armenia, Georgia, and Azerbaijan  into a direct arena for competing project speeds and standards. In  this system, Iran acts as an independent transit hub capable of  redirecting part of the cargo traffic via the North- South corridor,  thereby reducing dependence on routes through the Suez Canal and  Turkey.

Experts emphasized that today's critical infrastructure—ranging from  nuclear power plants to submarine internet cables—serves as a direct  lever of geopolitical influence. From this perspective, the  participants discussed such issues as Turkey's emergence as an energy  hub at the intersection of Chinese and EU interests, the future and  risks of Armenia's nuclear energy sector, shifts in Iran's transport  priorities, and the convergence of Caucasus interests with Central  Asia.

The roundtable participants also addressed logistics, comparing  regional transport models, assessing vulnerabilities in combined  routes, and  the impact of global carriers on the changing map of  freight flows across Eurasia.