Great Power Competition in Contested States: The Case of Nagorno-Karabakh

Abstract: This article explores how great power competition has affected the self-proclaimed republic of Nagorno-Karabakh and the attendant conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan. It first provides a short history of the conflict, followed by an analysis of the strategic interests and instruments of key external players, including Russia, Turkey, and the United States. Next, the article analyzes Nagorno-Karabakh as a subject of geopolitical competition, highlighting ways in which it was able to exercise agency and thereby ensure its survival for a long time. The article concludes by discussing how the end of Nagorno-Karabakh's existence has affected the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict and, more broadly, the parameters of geopolitical competition in the region.