The recent military clashes in the occupied region of Nagorno-Karabakh have increased regional tensions and raised the possibility of a full-scale war. The ceasefire agreement signed almost three decades ago and the mediation process led by the OSCE Minsk Group has failed to deliver sustainable peace. The Armenian attack against Azerbaijan’s Tovuz province in mid-July 2020 and the Azerbaijani response that came at the end of September have broken the status quo.
The conflict has not only drawn in regional powers such as Turkey, Russia, and Iran, but also international players including the United States, France, and Israel. However, Ankara and Moscow remain the main players and most-likely mediators of the conflict. The ongoing occupation of Nagorno-Karabakh has put regional peace and European energy security under threat. The Nagorno-Karabakh conflict will remain a regional powder keg so long as the stalemate continues, and the international community lacks the will to advance a viable solution. In this context, this session will focus on the roots of the conflict and whether or not a peaceful and viable solution to the conflict is possible.