EU’s Actorness in the South Caucasus: Uneasy Alliance of Normative Power with Conflict Resolution and Peace-Building

Abstract

The success of the EU in the South Caucasus region is limited due to the lack of insufficient commitment, inefficient tools, lack of comprehensive policy design taking into account the needs and priorities of the regional actors. The EU seems to restore its image and increase its visibility in the region after the II. Karabakh War in 2020. Post-war geopolitical context necessitates a durable security-building as a result of a peace agreement between Azerbaijan and Armenia. The EU’s efforts show that it is in the process of re-defining a pro-active role in shaping the meditation and peace-making processes. The outcome will not only determine the nature of the EU’s involvement into the region but also the efficiency of its normative power in the future.

Keywords

• the EU
• South Caucasus
• conflict resolution
• peace-building
• good governance

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