Antagonisms in the EU’s neighbourhood #3

The Black Sea and Caspian region is a part of the EU neighborhood that is increasingly becoming a conflict zone. Having flouted international law by annexing Crimea, the Russian Federation is taking further steps to strengthen its military, political and economic dominance in the region. We see patterns of action emerging that are gradually shifting the balance of power in a strategically important region that serves as a corridor for trade and energy routes between Europe and Asia. In addition to Russia, China and Turkey are also expanding their influence, as are Iran and Saudi Arabia. Among the issues addressed by the experts who have contributed to the policy paper titled “Antagonisms in the EU’s Neighbourhood – Geopolitical Ambitions in the Black Sea and Caspian Region” are how these key states interact with each other, the concerns driving their actions, and how Berlin and Brussels can protect European interests in the region.

Contributing experts:
Bernhard Bartsch, Christian-P. Hanelt, Wilfried Jilge, Christian Koch, Miriam Kosmehl, Adnan Tabatabai, Kadri Tastan, Birgit Wetzel, Erdal Yalcin