Maps don’t tell the whole story. A vivid example is Azerbaijan's Karki, is actually under control of Armenia because of the Soviet-era border drawing. Could an exclave swap finally pave the way for lasting peace between the two countries?

Armenia’s 2026 elections confirmed Pashinyan’s pro‑Western course, giving Yerevan a mandate to pursue peace with Baku and deepen EU ties while avoiding a rupture with Moscow. For the wider Caucasus, this points to a gradual erosion of Russian leverage, a stronger Western presence, and fragile but advancing normalization—provided reciprocal moves from Azerbaijan and Türkiye hold.

This week’s episode covers protests in Bolivia, Armenia’s new outlook towards the West, and parliamentary election in Ethiopia.