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Interview
Thursday Interview: Murad Muradov
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Thursday Interview: Murad Muradov

15 January 2026
Today, commonspace.eu starts a new regular weekly series. THURSDAY INTERVIEW, conducted by Lauri Nikulainen, will host  persons who are thinkers, opinion shapers, and implementors in their countries and spheres. We start the series with an interview with Murad Muradov, a leading person in Azerbaijan's think tank community. He is also the first co-chair of the Action Committee for a new Armenian-Azerbaijani Dialogue. Last September he made history by being the first Azerbaijani civil society activist to visit Armenia after the 44 day war, and the start of the peace process. Speaking about this visit Murad Muradov said: "My experience was largely positive. My negative expectations luckily didn’t play out. The discussions were respectful, the panel format bringing together experts from Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Turkey was particularly valuable during the NATO Rose-Roth Seminar in Yerevan, and media coverage, while varied in tone, remained largely constructive. Some media outlets though attempted to represent me as more of a government mouthpiece than an independent expert, which was totally misleading.  Overall, I see these initiatives as important steps in rebuilding trust and normalising professional engagement. The fact that soon a larger Azerbaijani civil society visits to Armenia followed, reinforces the sense that this process is moving in the right direction." (click the image to read the interview in full)
Murad Muradov
Lauri Nikulainen interviews Murad Muradov
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Event
commonspace.eu is getting better
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commonspace.eu is getting better

13 January 2026
Commonspace.eu will this year celebrate its 15th anniversary. In this period we provided space for different opinions, including to persons from the countries and areas we are focused on, which have included Georgians, Armenians, Azerbaijanis, Yemenis, Ukrainians and many others. We have also, as much as is possible for a news outlet that does not have a network of paid journalists, provided accurate information, especially at times of crises. We have done so whilst remaining inspired by our vision for a just and peaceful world, of a Europe that works in peace and collaboration with its neighbourhood, and to give a voice to youth, women, minorities and other groups that struggle to be heard. This week we are launching new features, and strengthening established ones, to make commonspace.eu more effective, and more useful for our eclectic readership. On Thursday, we launch our new series, THURSDAY INTERVIEW. The interviews will be conducted by Lauri Nikulainen, and the first interview is with Murad Muradov, Vice President of the Topchubashov Centre in Baku. On Friday we will have a selection from our regular newsletters: Caucasus Concise, Arabia Concise and Central Asia Concise. We hope to add a fourth newsletter shortly. On Monday, the Monday Commentary by our Managing Editor, Dr Dennis Sammut, is back. The commentaries reflect the author’s years of experience, but equally his passion for change and a better world. On Tuesday and Wednesday, we feature articles by our regular guest contributors, including Onik Krikorian, Benyamin Poghosyan and Vasif Huseynov. We will of course also feature daily news stories from Europe, and the regions around it, the neighbourhood with which we need to build a common future. We hope that you will find commonspace.eu interesting and useful.
commonspace.eu editorial team
Editor's choice
Opinion
Opinion: With a foot in every camp, Armenia seeks to create a niche for itself through a diversified foreign policy
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Opinion: With a foot in every camp, Armenia seeks to create a niche for itself through a diversified foreign policy

8 January 2026
The days when Armenia was considered an outpost of Russia are long gone. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has sought new relations with both the European Union and the United States. Relations with Brussels have peaked to new heights, with even talk of EU membership. And no lobbying by the powerful Armenian diaspora in the US could achieve that historical moment on 8 August in the White House, when Pashinyan and Azerbaijani president Aliyev, not only set the stage for peace between their two countries, but also opened the way for a new relationship with the United States. But Pashinyan has been able to do all this whilst at the same time keeping the relations with Russia warm. Armenia remains an active member of the Russia-led Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU). In December, Pashinyan participated in Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) meetings in Moscow and St. Petersburg. Johnny Melikyan, Senior Research Fellow at the Orbeli Centre in Yerevan summed up the visit this way: The recent December 2025 visits of Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan to Russia highlighted a practical and interest-based stage in Armenian–Russian relations. Rather than symbolism, the agenda was dominated by concrete issues of economic cooperation, connectivity, trade, and participation in Eurasian integration formats. You can read Johnny Melikyan's comment in full by clicking on the image
Johnny Melikyan is Senior Research Fellow at the Orbeli Centre in Yerevan

Focus on the South Caucasus

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Opinion
Opinion: With a foot in every camp, Armenia seeks to create a niche for itself through a diversified foreign policy
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Opinion: With a foot in every camp, Armenia seeks to create a niche for itself through a diversified foreign policy

8 January 2026
The days when Armenia was considered an outpost of Russia are long gone. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has sought new relations with both the European Union and the United States. Relations with Brussels have peaked to new heights, with even talk of EU membership. And no lobbying by the powerful Armenian diaspora in the US could achieve that historical moment on 8 August in the White House, when Pashinyan and Azerbaijani president Aliyev, not only set the stage for peace between their two countries, but also opened the way for a new relationship with the United States. But Pashinyan has been able to do all this whilst at the same time keeping the relations with Russia warm. Armenia remains an active member of the Russia-led Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU). In December, Pashinyan participated in Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) meetings in Moscow and St. Petersburg. Johnny Melikyan, Senior Research Fellow at the Orbeli Centre in Yerevan summed up the visit this way: The recent December 2025 visits of Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan to Russia highlighted a practical and interest-based stage in Armenian–Russian relations. Rather than symbolism, the agenda was dominated by concrete issues of economic cooperation, connectivity, trade, and participation in Eurasian integration formats. You can read Johnny Melikyan's comment in full by clicking on the image
Johnny Melikyan is Senior Research Fellow at the Orbeli Centre in Yerevan

Monday Commentary and Video Diaries

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Monday Commentary
Monday Commentary: 2025 was a momentous year for the South Caucasus
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Monday Commentary: 2025 was a momentous year for the South Caucasus

15 December 2025
The year 2025 has ended up being a momentous year for the South Caucasus, writes Dennis Sammut in his Monday Commentary. Armenia-Azerbaijan relations have been redefined, with consequences for the whole region and beyond. That huge development overshadowed key moments in the domestic trajectory of the two countries, which however have deep consequences for the two countries, and even beyond. It has also been a tumultuous year for Georgia too. The country has been gripped in a political crisis throughout 2025, with no obvious end in sight. Whatever the domestic arguments, on the international stage Georgia is today a shadow of what it used to be until recently. It not only has lost the chance of joining the European Union any time soon, but it has also lost its position as the leading South Caucasus country. Today, in the new reality of the region, it lags as a tired third. Important as 2025 was, it ended with a lot of unfinished business. So 2026 will also be crucial for the three countries. Since regaining its statehood in 1991 after the dissolution of the Soviet Union, Armenia-Azerbaijan relations have been defined by war. The two fought open wars, wars of attrition, and propaganda wars, incessantly. Tens of thousands of people lost their lives, and hundreds of thousands were displaced. Many had lost hope that the two could try the alternative – i.e. peaceful co-existence. Yet in 2025 they were proven wrong.
Dennis Sammut
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Event
commonspace.eu is getting better
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commonspace.eu is getting better

13 January 2026
Commonspace.eu will this year celebrate its 15th anniversary. In this period we provided space for different opinions, including to persons from the countries and areas we are focused on, which have included Georgians, Armenians, Azerbaijanis, Yemenis, Ukrainians and many others. We have also, as much as is possible for a news outlet that does not have a network of paid journalists, provided accurate information, especially at times of crises. We have done so whilst remaining inspired by our vision for a just and peaceful world, of a Europe that works in peace and collaboration with its neighbourhood, and to give a voice to youth, women, minorities and other groups that struggle to be heard. This week we are launching new features, and strengthening established ones, to make commonspace.eu more effective, and more useful for our eclectic readership. On Thursday, we launch our new series, THURSDAY INTERVIEW. The interviews will be conducted by Lauri Nikulainen, and the first interview is with Murad Muradov, Vice President of the Topchubashov Centre in Baku. On Friday we will have a selection from our regular newsletters: Caucasus Concise, Arabia Concise and Central Asia Concise. We hope to add a fourth newsletter shortly. On Monday, the Monday Commentary by our Managing Editor, Dr Dennis Sammut, is back. The commentaries reflect the author’s years of experience, but equally his passion for change and a better world. On Tuesday and Wednesday, we feature articles by our regular guest contributors, including Onik Krikorian, Benyamin Poghosyan and Vasif Huseynov. We will of course also feature daily news stories from Europe, and the regions around it, the neighbourhood with which we need to build a common future. We hope that you will find commonspace.eu interesting and useful.
commonspace.eu editorial team
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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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News
Dozens participate in new Armenia-Azerbaijan dialogue process as societies prepare for the signing of historic peace agreement
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Dozens participate in new Armenia-Azerbaijan dialogue process as societies prepare for the signing of historic peace agreement

6 July 2025
The governments of Armenia and Azerbaijan have recently agreed the text of a historic peace agreement that ends years of animosity and warfare. The agreement is expected to be signed soon. LINKS Europe, which has a long history of engagement with the process of peace in the region, recently launched a new Armenia-Azerbaijan dialogue format in the framework of the European Union's EU4Peace initiative. In the last two weeks dozens of Armenians and Azerbaijanis, including academics, students, civil society activists, journalists and other professionals, many of them young, were involved. The work is organised in five thematic groups focusing on peace and security, connectivity, environment, governance and gender and equality and in phase 2 of the project, which has just ended, around fifty participants took part in in-person and online meetings, and more than twenty others were involved indirectly. The Chairpersons of the five thematic groups met in Vilnius, 3-6 July to launch the third phase of the program. The five thematic groups are now working on separate reports, which are expected to be finished in November and presented to the two governments and other stakeholders. The reports will outline a vision, up to 2040.

Focus on Central Asia

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Event
commonspace.eu is getting better
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commonspace.eu is getting better

13 January 2026
Commonspace.eu will this year celebrate its 15th anniversary. In this period we provided space for different opinions, including to persons from the countries and areas we are focused on, which have included Georgians, Armenians, Azerbaijanis, Yemenis, Ukrainians and many others. We have also, as much as is possible for a news outlet that does not have a network of paid journalists, provided accurate information, especially at times of crises. We have done so whilst remaining inspired by our vision for a just and peaceful world, of a Europe that works in peace and collaboration with its neighbourhood, and to give a voice to youth, women, minorities and other groups that struggle to be heard. This week we are launching new features, and strengthening established ones, to make commonspace.eu more effective, and more useful for our eclectic readership. On Thursday, we launch our new series, THURSDAY INTERVIEW. The interviews will be conducted by Lauri Nikulainen, and the first interview is with Murad Muradov, Vice President of the Topchubashov Centre in Baku. On Friday we will have a selection from our regular newsletters: Caucasus Concise, Arabia Concise and Central Asia Concise. We hope to add a fourth newsletter shortly. On Monday, the Monday Commentary by our Managing Editor, Dr Dennis Sammut, is back. The commentaries reflect the author’s years of experience, but equally his passion for change and a better world. On Tuesday and Wednesday, we feature articles by our regular guest contributors, including Onik Krikorian, Benyamin Poghosyan and Vasif Huseynov. We will of course also feature daily news stories from Europe, and the regions around it, the neighbourhood with which we need to build a common future. We hope that you will find commonspace.eu interesting and useful.
commonspace.eu editorial team
Editor's choice
Event
commonspace.eu is getting better
Trending

commonspace.eu is getting better

13 January 2026
Commonspace.eu will this year celebrate its 15th anniversary. In this period we provided space for different opinions, including to persons from the countries and areas we are focused on, which have included Georgians, Armenians, Azerbaijanis, Yemenis, Ukrainians and many others. We have also, as much as is possible for a news outlet that does not have a network of paid journalists, provided accurate information, especially at times of crises. We have done so whilst remaining inspired by our vision for a just and peaceful world, of a Europe that works in peace and collaboration with its neighbourhood, and to give a voice to youth, women, minorities and other groups that struggle to be heard. This week we are launching new features, and strengthening established ones, to make commonspace.eu more effective, and more useful for our eclectic readership. On Thursday, we launch our new series, THURSDAY INTERVIEW. The interviews will be conducted by Lauri Nikulainen, and the first interview is with Murad Muradov, Vice President of the Topchubashov Centre in Baku. On Friday we will have a selection from our regular newsletters: Caucasus Concise, Arabia Concise and Central Asia Concise. We hope to add a fourth newsletter shortly. On Monday, the Monday Commentary by our Managing Editor, Dr Dennis Sammut, is back. The commentaries reflect the author’s years of experience, but equally his passion for change and a better world. On Tuesday and Wednesday, we feature articles by our regular guest contributors, including Onik Krikorian, Benyamin Poghosyan and Vasif Huseynov. We will of course also feature daily news stories from Europe, and the regions around it, the neighbourhood with which we need to build a common future. We hope that you will find commonspace.eu interesting and useful.
commonspace.eu editorial team

Focus on Arabia

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News
Aden under curfew, as problem in Yemen's south deepens
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Aden under curfew, as problem in Yemen's south deepens

8 January 2026
The port city of Aden, in Yemen's south, has been put under curfew, as the rift in the country between  the Saudi led coalition which  backs Yemen's presidential governing council, and the southern forces led by the Southern Transitional Council (STC), deepens. Abdul Rahman al-Mahrami, a member of the Yemeni Presidential Governing Council and commander of the al-Amalik brigades, has ordered a curfew in the temporary capital, Aden, "to maintain security". "A curfew has been imposed throughout Aden Governorate from 9:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m., in accordance with the instructions of Commander Abdul Rahman al-Mahrami, a member of the Presidential Management Council," the statement said. It states that only security and military personnel, as well as medical and technical teams with approved permits, will be allowed to move in the area during these hours. Yemen's presidential council, which is backed by Saudi Arabia and which already is in a struggle with the Houthi Movement in the north of the country who also occupy the capital Sanaa, two days ago issued an order for the arrest of the head of the Southern Transitional Council (STC),, Aidarous al Zubaidi. The STC have wide support among people in the South, and advocate that South Yemen restores its independence. The coalition warned of further escalation in Aden, long regarded as an STC stronghold, as the Presidential Leadership Council (PLC) chief accused STC leader Aidarous Al Zubaidi of “high treason” and announced the revocation of his membership in the governing body. The moves mark a sharp escalation in tensions within the anti-Houthi camp, despite National Shield Forces, rivals of the STC and former allies, having recently retaken control of Hadhramaut and Mahra from southern fighters. The STC’s takeover of the two regions last month angered Saudi Arabia and contributed to igniting the current internal conflict. (click the picture to read more)
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 work programme for the two-year period 2024-2025 here