After years of fighting, frozen conflicts and diplomatic impasses, events are starting to change quickly in the South Caucasus — and in a positive way.

A lot of the recent focus regarding developments in Afghanistan has been on the increase in transnational terrorist groups operating there and the difficulties the Taliban are having trying to govern and secure the country.

The normally reclusive Central Asian state of Turkmenistan has been having an unusually busy time on the international stage. First, Eli Cohen became the first Israeli Foreign Minister to visit since 1994 when he opened a new Israeli embassy in the capital, Ashgabat.

Construction began in 1903 on a rail line to link Berlin with Baghdad via Constantinople, now Istanbul. Engineering challenges and war meant it was 1940 before the first train completed the journey.

Finland last week became NATO’s 31st member, an historic event that only 18 months ago would have been unthinkable — until Russia’s invasion of Ukraine changed everything.

When it comes to the breakdown of relations between the West and Russia, much of the focus is on Eastern Europe. However, the Arctic has also been affected by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.