The European Union is launching new platforms of influence in the South Caucasus, deepening its participation in regional logistics projects through the “Connectivity Agenda”. While the Armenian media and social networks were discussing the photo of European Commissioner Martha Kos with Armenian apricots, a much more important event took place in Brussels.

The European Union officially launched the Connectivity Agenda Platform, an initiative that, according to the European Union, is designed to bridge Europe and Central Asia through the Black Sea region and the South Caucasus. The EU, which has significantly increased its influence in Armenia and the South Caucasus in recent years, unlike the USA, has been left out of the geopolitical discussions on the development of logistics projects, so through this platform, the EU is trying to participate in the regional infrastructure management process.

According to the EU announcement, the European Commission launched the Connectivity Agenda Platform and signed agreements with international financial institutions, through which it is expected to attract strategic investments worth up to 2 billion euros for the development of connectivity in the Black Sea region and the South Caucasus. The platform was presented during a high-level ministerial meeting hosted by EU Enlargement Commissioner Martha Kos, EU International Partnerships Commissioner Joseph Sikela and EU Sustainable Transport Commissioner Apostolos Tsitsikostas.

According to a statement from Brussels, the Connectivity Agenda Platform will serve as a framework for participating countries, international financial institutions and other stakeholders to coordinate investments and policy actions in the fields of transport, energy, digital connectivity and trade.

“In order to further strengthen cooperation with the region, the participants also agreed to strengthen the operational efficiency of the Trans-Caspian transport corridor. They invited the European Commission to evaluate the operation of the corridor and propose priority actions to increase its competitiveness.

In order to support the implementation of the connectivity agenda, the European Commission has signed declarations of intent with international financial institutions, through which it is expected to attract investments of up to 2 billion euros for transport infrastructure, border crossings, as well as trade facilitation projects in the Black Sea region and the South Caucasus. European Commissioner for EU Enlargement Martha Kos said that in the conditions of the growing conflict, it is encouraging to see that so many countries are united around a common project. “We need reliable trade routes, and the Trans-Caspian transport corridor has become just such a route. During the next 15 years, trade turnover on this route can increase fivefold,” he noted.

Marta Kos also spoke about Turkey’s role in the Middle Corridor, saying that she could not imagine a strong Middle Corridor and all these digital, energy and trade relations without Turkey’s strong participation. Kos noted that the EU will continue contacts with Turkey, and meetings with Turkish officials are planned in the near future. According to him, at the end of this month, he will visit Ankara with Kaya Kalas, the High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, and Magnus Brunner, the EU Commissioner for Home Affairs and Migration.

Russian analyst Alexander Khramchikhin 168.amtold that this initiative of the European Union should not be considered as mere economic support, this is another step towards the strengthening of the EU in the region. The main goal, according to him, is to influence the process of forming new logistics channels through attracting investments, consulting and other support programs.

“For decades, the regional actors, Turkey and the states of Central Asia, have had an influence on the “Middle Corridor” project. In this dynamic, Beijing has also been able to capitalize on its position by asserting economic “soft power” influence, and Russia continues to use its geopolitical leverage to try to prevent the strengthening of Western influence in the region. Against this background, Brussels is trying to “penetrate” through new platforms. This is not just an infrastructural project for Brussels, but an attempt to deepen hegemony, so that Europe is not just a consumer, but one of those logistics management centers.

This policy of the EU is also determined by the security strategy. Against the background of the ongoing war in Ukraine, it is critical for Europe to have routes that bypass Russian projects. The EU is trying to create opportunities to ensure the diversification of its energy and commodity supplies. The Middle Corridor is important for Europe, so the EU is ready to “buy” its participation with investments of 2 billion euros,” Khramchikhin said.

As for the EU’s statements regarding Turkey’s role, he noted that the EU understands that without Ankara’s agreement, it is not possible to participate in all of that, so the deepening of relations with Turkey becomes the core of the EU’s regional policy, which is nothing new.

“With its activity, the EU is trying to enter the field of regional agreements. The EU is trying to make sure that the future of the Middle Corridor is decided not only in Ankara or other capitals, but also in the EU, but how it will be done depends on them, the regional countries,” Khramchikhin said.

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