NATO’s South Caucasus Partnerships Evolve https://gemini.google.com/share/15a0dd061ac4 NATO’s engagement with the South Caucasus region is highly active and has entered a dynamic new phase, particularly following the August 2025 Washington-brokered peace agreement between Armenia and Azerbaijan.1 The relationship is not a single bloc policy but rather three distinct, parallel partnerships with each of the South Caucasus nations—Georgia, Azerbaijan, and Armenia—each with different goals and trajectories. Here is a detailed breakdown of NATO’s relationship with each country as of late 2025. 🇬🇪 Georgia: The Aspiring Member Georgia has the deepest and most advanced relationship with NATO in th

NATO’s South Caucasus Partnerships Evolve  gemini.google.com/share/15a0…
NATO’s engagement with the South Caucasus region is highly active and has entered a dynamic new phase, particularly following the August 2025 Washington-brokered peace agreement between Armenia and Azerbaijan.1

The relationship is not a single bloc policy but rather three distinct, parallel partnerships with each of the South Caucasus nations—Georgia, Azerbaijan, and Armenia—each with different goals and trajectories.

Here is a detailed breakdown of NATO’s relationship with each country as of late 2025.

🇬🇪 Georgia: The Aspiring Member

Georgia has the deepest and most advanced relationship with NATO in the region, with the stated goal of eventual full membership.2

Official Position: At the 2008 Bucharest Summit, NATO allies agreed that Georgia will become a member of the alliance.3 This promise has been consistently reaffirmed.
Current Status: Georgia is one of NATO’s closest partners and is considered an “aspirant” country.4 However, it has not yet been granted a formal Membership Action Plan (MAP).5
Practical Cooperation: The primary vehicle for cooperation is the Substantial NATO-Georgia Package (SNGP).6 This package includes:
Support for defense reforms.7
Joint training and exercises.8
Measures to improve the interoperability of Georgian forces with NATO standards.9
A NATO-Georgia Joint Training and Evaluation Centre in the country.
Challenges: The primary obstacle to membership remains the unresolved conflict with Russia, which occupies two of Georgia’s regions—Abkhazia and South Ossetia—following the 2008 war.
🇦🇿 Azerbaijan: The Strategic Partner
Azerbaijan maintains a pragmatic and strategic partnership with NATO, focusing on military modernization, energy security, and interoperability, but it does not formally seek membership.10
Recent Developments (November 2025): Azerbaijan has recently taken significant steps to deepen its military cooperation with NATO.11
Military Alignment: President Ilham Aliyev has stated that Azerbaijan’s army is aligning with NATO standards, a process being heavily supported by NATO member Turkey.12
Russian Reaction: These moves have reportedly caused significant concern in Moscow, which views the South Caucasus as its traditional sphere of influence.13
Practical Cooperation:
Partnership for Peace (PfP): Azerbaijan has been an active member of the PfP program since 1994.14
Energy Security: Azerbaijan is a key partner for NATO countries in energy security, providing a non-Russian source of oil and gas to Europe.15
Peacekeeping: Azerbaijan was a contributor to NATO’s mission in Afghanistan.16

Regional Context: The nation’s strategic autonomy is central to its policy. It balances its strong ties with Turkey and growing partnership with NATO against its complex relationship with Russia.

🇦🇲 Armenia: The Newcomer (Re-evaluating)

Armenia, traditionally a close military ally of Russia and a member of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), is actively and publicly diversifying its security policy and deepening its ties with NATO.17
Shift in Policy: Following the 2023 Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and dissatisfaction with the CSTO’s response, Armenia has been on a clear path to build new security partnerships.
Practical Cooperation:
PfP & Peacekeeping: Like its neighbors, Armenia has been a NATO partner since 1994 and has a long-standing contribution to the NATO-led KFOR mission in Kosovo.18
New Programs: Armenia is now working with NATO to finalize an Individually Tailored Partnership Program (ITPP), a more advanced form of cooperation.19
“Crossroads of Peace”: Armenia is promoting a regional connectivity project, which it frames as a key part of establishing lasting peace and linking East and West, a concept it discusses with its Western partners.20
Context: This pivot is a strategic re-evaluation for Armenia, aiming to reduce its long-standing security dependence on Russia by building stronger institutional ties with NATO and the European Union.21

— Michael Novakhov (@mikenov) Nov 17, 2025