The Caucasian front of French-Turkish rivalry

On November 25, the French Senate adopted a non-binding resolution on the recognition of the so-called Nagorno-Karabakh Republic. Geopolitical rivalry between France and Turkey could be regarded as one of the main motivations behind the document.

The power struggle between the two nations has grown into one of central dynamics of global geopolitics in recent years. The expansion of Turkey's activities from the Mediterranean to central Africa creates significant concerns for France, which contains a crucial position over these regions and aims to deter this expansionism. The current rivalry is most obvious on the Libyan, Lebanese, Eastern Mediterranean, and West African fronts.

The Caucasian Front, generated by the Karabakh conflict, is another epicenter of the Turkish-French rivalry, where both countries are traditional and closest allies of the belligerent sides. Turkey fully supports Azerbaijan, while Armenia is actively seconded by France. The latter is also one of the three mediating states in the settlement of the dispute. France was left out of the 10 November statement, which effectively ended the Karabakh War, and Armenia suffered a total defeat. Furthemore, Turkey’s participation reflected in the statement became a "cold shower" for French diplomacy.

It is, therefore, understandable that France, which has lost serious positions to Turkey on the Caucasian front, would pay more attention to the Karabakh conflict and try to ensure its presence in the region as much as possible.