Today, we're bringing you a bonus episode from Crisis Group's global podcast, Hold Your Fire!

In this episode of Hold Your Fire!, Richard Atwood speaks with Joshua Kucera, Crisis Group’s senior South Caucasus analyst, about progress in Armenia-Azerbaijan peace talks, U.S. involvement and shifting regional politics. They discuss U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance’s recent visit to Yerevan and Baku, why Washington got involved and U.S. efforts to broker agreement on the Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity (TRIPP) – a proposed transit corridor linking mainland Azerbaijan to its exclave of Nakhchivan through southern Armenia. They talk about whether the corridor could move forward even without a fully ratified peace deal and examine the remaining sticking points. They also assess Türkiye’s expanding role in the region, Iran’s concerns about the corridor, Russia’s waning influence and European policy. They examine why the Trump administration’s peacemaking appears to have been more successful in the South Caucasus than elsewhere.

For more, check out Joshua’s recent Analyst’s Notebook, “Vance Visit Reaffirms U.S. Push to End Armenia-Azerbaijan Conflict” and our Armenian-Azerbaijani Conflict page.

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In this episode of War & Peace, Olga and Alissa are joined by Nathalie Tocci, director of the Istituto Affari Internazionali in Rome, to discuss how European capitals are reacting to recent U.S. actions in Venezuela and the Trump administration’s aggressive rhetoric over Greenland, and how EU and NATO member states can navigate an increasingly strained transatlantic relationship. They explore how European governments may rethink security in order to reduce dependence on the U.S. as Washington increasingly disregards international norms and even threatens the territorial integrity of an ally. Finally, they consider how regional states can meaningfully approach multilateralism as the global order continues to shift rapidly.

This episode was made possible through extra-budgetary funding from the OSCE. The views expressed do not necessarily reflect those of the OSCE.

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In this episode of War & Peace, Olga Oliker and Alissa de Carbonnel are joined by Joshua Kucera, Crisis Group’s Senior Analyst for the South Caucasus, to discuss the increasingly difficult situation facing people displaced from Nagorno-Karabakh in Armenia after Azerbaijan regained control of the territory in a rapid 2023 offensive. They unpack the refugees’ mounting challenges–from insecure housing after cuts to government assistance to discrimination–and their growing frustration with Armenia’s government. They also examine the role refugees from Karabakh might play in Armenia’s 2026 elections and peace efforts with Azerbaijan, their hopes of return, and what the EU can do to help Yerevan respond.

For more, check out our Armenian-Azerbaijani Conflict and Europe & Central Asia pages.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.