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Interview
Thursday Interview: Dr. Andrzej Klimczyk
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Thursday Interview: Dr. Andrzej Klimczyk

30 April 2026
The Armenian parliamentary elections on 7 June are crucial in more ways than one. A fragile peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan is still at stake. While progress has been made since President Trump’s August 2025 meeting with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, where a peace agreement was initialled, much remains uncertain. Key elements of the settlement are yet to be finalised, and the political will required to sustain momentum will depend heavily on the outcome of the vote. The peace agenda is heavily politicised, adding further sensitivity to the process, as conduits for Kremlin policy continue to disseminate fear and uncertainty within Armenian society regarding the ongoing peace process with Azerbaijan. In this week’s Thursday Interview, former Polish diplomat Dr. Andrzej Klimczyk draws on decades of experience across the post-Soviet space to reflect on Armenia’s upcoming parliamentary elections and the wider dynamics in the South Caucasus. He argues that while the European Union has the potential to play a stronger geopolitical role in the region, its approach remains too bureaucratic and insufficiently attuned to local realities. Klimczyk also outlines his proposal for a “South Caucasus Euroregion” as a long-term framework for cooperation between Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia, aimed at unlocking the region’s economic and geopolitical potential. On Armenia’s June 2026 elections, he highlights a highly polarised political environment, with competition focused more on personalities than programmes and a fragmented opposition. He also warns of growing risks of disinformation and hybrid interference, cautioning that the main challenge may be the erosion of trust in the information environment rather than the integrity of the vote itself. (Click the image to read the full interview.) This interview marks the start of a special “Armenia Season” on commonspace.eu. The summit of the European Political Community will be held in Yerevan on 4 May. This will be immediately followed by an EU-Armenia summit. On 7 June Armenia will hold parliamentary elections. Our twice-weekly newsletter Armenia Election Monitor, will be published between 1 May and 15 June, and will track and analyse key developments ahead of the parliamentary elections on 7 June, with concise, fact-based and non-partisan insights, and will after analyse the results. LINKS Europe Foundation will host a webinar titled: Armenia between a historic summit and a crucial election. Join us on 6 May at 15:00 (Amsterdam) / 17:00 (Yerevan) for a panel discussion on the European Political Community Summit in Yerevan and Armenia’s upcoming parliamentary elections.
Lauri Nikulainen interviews Dr. Andrzej Klimczyk
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News
Deputy Prime Minister of Azerbaijan Mustafayev visits Armenia
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Deputy Prime Minister of Azerbaijan Mustafayev visits Armenia

29 April 2026
The Deputy Prime Minister of Azerbaijan has visited Armenia on Wednesday 29 April to participate in the the 13th meeting of the Commission on Demarcation and Border Security between Armenia and Azerbaijan and the State Commission on Demarcation of the State Border between Azerbaijan and Armenia, which was held in Aghveren. The Commission meeting was held under the chairmanship of Deputy Prime Minister of Armenia Mher Grigoryan and Deputy Prime Minister of Azerbaijan Shahin Mustafayev. A statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Armenia, noted with satisfaction that the 13th meeting of the commissions is once again taking place in the territory of one of the parties, in Aghveran, in the Republic of Armenia. "During the meeting, the parties exchanged detailed thoughts on organizational and technical issues related to border demarcation measures. The parties agreed and exchanged the texts of the following draft guidelines on the procedure for carrying out demarcation work:". Click the image to read the full report.
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GULF CRISIS
GCC countries condemn Iran, and say it has to make serious efforts to rebuild trust
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GCC countries condemn Iran, and say it has to make serious efforts to rebuild trust

29 April 2026
GCC countries have issued a strong condemnation of Iran for its attack on Gulf countries since 28th February.  "Iranian attacks have also led to a sharp loss of confidence by the Council states in Iran, which requires Iran to take the initiative to make serious efforts to rebuild trust", they said. This was stated by the Secretary General of the Gulf Co-operation Council (GCC), that bring together the six Gulf monarchies - Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and United Arab Emirates (UAE),  in a statement on Tuesday 28 April, at the end of a summit of the leaders of the member states held in Saudi Arabia. In his statement, Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi said that the leaders discussed the current regional situation, particularly in relation to the escalation in the region, and the blatant Iranian attacks against the Council countries and the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, as well as ways to establish a diplomatic path that ends the crisis and paves the way for reaching agreements and understandings that address the sources of concern of the Council states and enhance security and stability in the long term. Click image to read the full statement.

Focus on the South Caucasus

Monday Commentary and Thursday Interview

Editor's choice
Monday Commentary
Monday Commentary: Despite the bleakness of the current situation, the Gulf must prepare for tomorrow
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Monday Commentary: Despite the bleakness of the current situation, the Gulf must prepare for tomorrow

13 April 2026
The six Gulf countries members of the Gulf Co-operation Council (GCC), namely Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Oman, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), have been caught in the war waged by the United States and Israel against Iran since 28 February. Ostensibly, because they host US military facilities, they were relentlessly attacked by Iran in the period before the two-week cease fire, announced a week ago. The Gulf countries have not retaliated, but they made strong requests to Iran to desist. They were very supportive of the efforts to end the conflict, especially the talks hosted by Pakistan in Islamabad over the weekend. The 21 hours of talks were intense, but according to all accounts unsuccessful. But this was the first direct contact at a high political level between Iran and the US since the 1979 Iranian revolution, so their importance should not be underestimated either. The opening of the Strait of Hormuz for unimpeded movement of shipping is a top priority. In resolving this issue the GCC countries must be involved directly. For the six GCC countries the conflict in Iran is not only unwelcome. They tried to stop the war from starting. They face a serious problem, which is not yet existential, but may well change their way of life forever. But, despite the bleakness of the current situation, the Gulf must prepare for tomorrow. Three areas are of importance: Defence and Security; Foreign Policy and National Cohesion. Developing a new security architecture for the Gulf is a long term, ten-year, project. It should not be rushed but neither should complacency be allowed. Thinking and discussion on these issues must start now. This is a testing time for the six GCC countries, but they have internal resilience, and enough financial cushion to weather the storm. And I am sure they also have the creativity and the will to reconstruct, and reconstruct better. (click the picture to read the Commentary in full)
Dennis Sammut
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Interview
Thursday Interview: Ambassador Akan Rakhmetullin
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Thursday Interview: Ambassador Akan Rakhmetullin

19 February 2026
His Excellency Mr. Akan Rakhmetullin is the Ambassador of the Republic of Kazakhstan to the Kingdom of the Netherlands and Permanent Representative to the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW). A career diplomat with more than three decades of experience across bilateral and multilateral postings, he has represented Kazakhstan at the United Nations (UN) and the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), and played a central role in shaping the country’s multi-vector foreign policy and engagement with international institutions. Speaking to commonspace.eu, Ambassador Rakhmetullin reflected on his experience of representing a newly independent state in the 1990s, Kazakhstan’s ongoing domestic reform agenda, and how internal political changes shape the country’s external posture. He also discussed opportunities for deeper cooperation with Europe, particularly in energy, technology, and agriculture, defended the relevance of multilateral institutions under growing political strain, and explained why Kazakhstan continues to pursue a multi-vector foreign policy aimed at maintaining balanced relations with major powers. (Read the full interview by clicking the image above)
Lauri Nikulainen interviews H.E. Mr. Akan Rakhmetullin

Focus on Central Asia

Focus on Arabia

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Commentary
Gulf countries seek new security framework as war exposes the limitations of US guarantees
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Gulf countries seek new security framework as war exposes the limitations of US guarantees

21 April 2026
There appears to have been a shift in the calculus of the war, though it is not entirely clear whether it amounts to a turning point or merely a pause. Writing for Al Arabiya, political analyst Raghida Dergham observed that both Washington and Tehran appear to be buying time, studying strategic and tactical mistakes, repositioning militarily and politically, and seeking what she called “a warrior's pause”. Neither side emerged from the first round with a decisive outcome: Tehran's regime appears to remain intact, and Trump's objectives remain unmet. What is new, and what has been described as both intriguing and alarming, is that Trump briefly spoke of a US-Iranian partnership in generating revenue via the Strait of Hormuz before walking back on the idea due to pressure from European and Gulf allies. The remark, however fleeting, signals the unpredictability of the situation; a White House moving between maximum pressure and maximum uncertainty, with allies left to scrape for interpretation. Reminiscent of this fact, negotiations in Islamabad seem to have stalled, and Trump's decision to impose a blockade on Iran’s maritime trade has only further disrupted the landscape, even as Iran threatens to retaliate by targeting Gulf ports directly. (To read the full briefing, click on the image above.)
Written by Santiago Ferbel-Azcarate
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Analysis
Briefing: In the Gulf, the British “peace” ended sixty years ago, but the Saudi “peace” has not yet replaced it
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Briefing: In the Gulf, the British “peace” ended sixty years ago, but the Saudi “peace” has not yet replaced it

28 January 2026
Relations between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates have in the last decade, been competitive. Led by two ambitious but visionary men – both named Mohammed: MBS – Mohammed bin Salman, the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia; and MBZ – Mohammed bin Zayed, the Ruler of Abu Dhabi and president of the Emirates, the two Gulf neighbours embraced many aspects of modernity, and moved hurriedly to turn their countries into global vanguards", writes Dennis Sammut, in this Briefing for Arabia Concise. "Yet up to now, competition was kept within bounds. They cooperated closely in areas of security and presented a united front. They were on the same side when they confronted Qatar and in their opposition to the Houthis' takeover of Yemen. Yet problems had been brewing under the surface for a while, and in the last month they burst into the open." The relations between Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have been increasingly strained as a result of the different approaches of the two countries towards Yemen. The problems between Saudi Arabia and the Emirates are not new. The Kingdom was never happy with the existence of the smaller states on the Arabian peninsula, which, for most of the 20th century, had British “protection”. But the wisdom of MBZ’s father, Sheikh Zayed, the founder of the UAE, and the caution of MBS's uncles, who ruled Saudi Arabia, generally managed the problems outside the public eye. When the British peace ended abruptly in the 1960’s – the British ran out of money – many thought that the Saudi peace would replace it. Sixty years later, it still has not. not only in monetary terms, but also diplomatically. Saudi “Peace” may be tempting, but it comes at a price. The UAE remains vulnerable because of its size, demography and geography; Its wealth may protect it for a while, but it has its limits. The decision of the UAE to break ranks and recognise Israel may have endeared it to the United States. But many inside, as much as outside the country, are not convinced. (You can read the full Briefing by clicking the image above)
Dennis Sammut
LINKS Europe

commonspace.eu is an activity of LINKS Europe Foundation, an independent foundation based in The Hague, The Netherlands. We focus on issues related to European peace and security, Europe's neighbouring regions, including Eastern Europe, the Caucasus and Central Asia; North Africa and the Sahel, the Horn of Africa and the Arabian Peninsula. LINKS Europe is committed to contributing to a better future by increasing understanding of complex foreign policy issues, by promoting dialogue and confidence-building as tools for helping to resolve conflict, and by engaging citizens in the process of building peace and security on the basis of solidarity and mutual respect. Through commonspace.eu, we aim to provide insights and analysis on different topics in our area of interest and a platform for diverse opinions.

Read LINKS Europe's 2025 Annual Review here.

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News
New Armenian-Azerbaijani Dialogue: 42 Armenians and Azerbaijanis set out vision until 2040 in four landmark reports
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New Armenian-Azerbaijani Dialogue: 42 Armenians and Azerbaijanis set out vision until 2040 in four landmark reports

7 November 2025
The Thematic Groups for a new Armenian-Azerbaijani Dialogue have produced four reports which set out a vision for relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan, and between Armenians and Azerbaijanis, over the next 15 years. The reports cover four key areas: (1) Peace and Security; (2) Regional Connectivity; (3) Good Governance; and (4) Environment. 42 Armenians and Azerbaijanis were directly involved in preparing the reports as part of the Thematic Groups. Another thirty Armenians and Azerbaijanis contributed to the process. The Thematic Groups were an initiative of LINKS Europe within the framework of EU4Peace 3, a programme supported by the European Union. An ACTION COMMITTEE FOR A NEW ARMENIAN AZERBAIJANI DIALOGUE has now been established, made up of the Chair and Deputy Chairs of the four groups that produced and agreed on the reports. The members of the Action Committee are: Murad Muradov, Leonid Nersisian, Narek Minasyan, Fidan Namazova, Sargis Kharatyunyan, Nigar Gurbanli, Aghavni Kharatyunyan, and Ramazan Samadov.  The first co-chairs of the Action Committee, for the 1st eight month semester are Murad Muradov and Leonid Nersisian. The Action Committee is responsible for the dissemination of the four reports, their eventual updating, and for contributing to the Armenian-Azerbaijani Dialogue and Peace and regional co-operation. LINKS Europe has appointed a Special Advisor to the Action Committee and will provide the Secretariat. The committee will work until December 2027. (click to title to read more or to download the reports)
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Event
LFSC25: Yerevan meeting focuses on issues of landmines and remnants of war in Armenia and the South Caucasus
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LFSC25: Yerevan meeting focuses on issues of landmines and remnants of war in Armenia and the South Caucasus

25 November 2025
The meeting titled “The residue of conflict: Landmines and other remnants of war in the South Caucasus, and its victims” was held in Yerevan, Armenia, on Monday, 24 November 2025, in the framework of the 2025 regional campaign "Landmine Free South Caucasus" (LFSC25). Addressing the meeting, Mr Stepan Grigoryan, Chairman of the Armenian Analytical Center on Globalisation and Regional Cooperation, emphasized that the problem of landmines is mutual, and it exists in both Armenia and Azerbaijan. He argued that it is important in the peace process to address the humanitarian issues caused by landmines. In addition, he also stressed that it is important for experts to have conversations on the topic of demining, as often it is experts who begin the process that can then be taken further by governments. Stepan Grigoryan said he was happy to be collaborating with LINKS Europe on this important issue, and was glad to associate himself with the LFSC 25 appeal. Anahit Poghosyan, Adviser to the Secretary of the RA Security Council also spoke at the event. Ms Anahit Poghosyan said that the problem of landmines exists in Armenia, and that already around 800 people have been injured or killed due to landmine contamination. The border regions are highly affected, and around 200000 people live in proximity of contaminated areas. She stressed that landmine contamination is an important issue to solve. In addition, she added that Armenia remains committed to humanitarian principles and that experts have been involved in checking the contamination maps to ensure reliability. She ended on an important note that landmines undermine peace and development and pose a grave humanitarian situation in the region. (read more by clicking the image)