Abstract

140 Europe and Eurasia Armenia–Azerbaijan (Nagorno-Karabakh) 142 Ukraine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 147 The eastern part of the town of Shushi/Shusha, Nagorno- Karabakh, which was completely destroyed in 1992 Regional Introduction relevance in the power competition with the West. The armed conflicts in Nagorno-Karabakh and As a result, in Nagorno-Karabakh, Russia seeks to eastern Ukraine are the only two currently active balance established military and economic coop- on the Eurasian continent. Russia has a prominent eration in Armenia with arms deals and plans to role in both theatres. In the Armenian–Azerbaijani expand trade ties in Azerbaijan. In Ukraine, Russia dispute, its positions are virtually identical to aims to limit a drift towards the West by support- the West’s, maintaining a rhetorical commitment ing separatist sentiments and armed groups in the to similar peacemaking and conflict-resolution Donbas region and by asserting its control over the agendas. In Ukraine, however, Russia’s goals are Kerch Strait (located off the Crimean peninsula it diametrically opposed to the West’s and actively annexed in 2014). destabilising. In