Around Moscow: The Middle Corridor and Other Forms of Cooperation in the Post-Soviet Space

On October 23, 2026, foreign ministers from Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan convened in Batumi, Georgia to discuss the Middle Corridor. This corridor aims to develop transport infrastructure, digitalize freight movements, and simplify transit across the Caspian Sea and South Caucasus. Just eight days prior, Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan had inaugurated a 380-kilometer fiber-optic cable connecting Aktau and Sumgait along the Caspian Sea bed, dubbed the "digital embodiment of the Middle Corridor" by Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev.

Since 2022, such projects have gained momentum due to the war and the region's efforts to minimize dependence on Russian transit routes. Although attempts to establish horizontal ties among former Soviet republics without Moscow's influence began in the 1990s, only a few projects have persisted, and some have recently experienced a resurgence. Successful initiatives typically rely on economic and infrastructural interests.

TRACECA, an early initiative, was established by the European Commission in 1993 with Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, and the five Central Asian states. TRACECA aimed to create a route from Europe to Central Asia via the Black Sea, Caucasus, and Caspian. Ukraine and Moldova joined in 1996-1998. Initially, TRACECA functioned as an EU technical assistance program, providing funding for research, project preparation, transport improvements, and customs procedures.

Over time, it developed its own intergovernmental structure, and in 1998, twelve countries signed a Multilateral Agreement in Baku. The TRACECA Intergovernmental Commission and its permanent secretariat in Baku followed in 2000 and 2001, respectively. Russia declined to join, perceiving TRACECA as a competitor to its transit routes.

TRACECA's scope did not encompass a complete transport corridor, but it laid the groundwork for its future development and linked individual route sections, fostering subsequent growth. The European Union funded various infrastructure projects, including railway and bridge repairs in Azerbaijan and Georgia, and modernized ferry terminals in Kazakhstan and Ukraine.

The participating countries also developed a common legal framework and coordination mechanisms for freight movements. TRACECA still operates, now comprising fourteen states, focusing on digital freight, simplified transit, and harmonized rules. Ukraine remains a participant, joining an agreement for a unified electronic transit permit in May 2026.