Eurasia Canal...
With the almost guaranteed fall of Mariupol, the Russians have created a land bridge connecting Sevastopol to Rostov. Many have correctly pointed out how critical the city is in the global value chain via its two steel plants (Illich Steel and Iron Works, Azovstal iron and steel works), some have even mentioned Azovmash and Azov Shipyard (all businesses owned by Rinat Akhmetov via SCM) but no one has yet mentioned what will revolutionize Central Asia…
The Canal:
With the objective of connecting the Caspian Sea to the Black Sea through (Lake) Azov, the Eurasian Canal is set to drastically improve the efficiency of cargo freight, and the geopolitical/economical influence of Russia in the region.
from The Attempts to Make the Caspian a “Sea” and the Reality
By granting Kazakhstan, and Turkmenistan access to the sea, the Russians will also be able to create new corridors for China’s Belt Road giving them some much needed leverage to better balance that relation.
from Kazakhstan: The Belt & Road Highway To Europe & Central Asia - Silk Road Briefing
In black are the two new possibilities. The Kazakh port of Aktau and the Turkmen port of Turkmenbashi will be connected directly to the Sea of Azov.
As the region plays a critical role in the commodity market, the Russians will, by facilitating the exports of Central Asian States, play an ever increasing role in the world regardless of sanctions. Russia could simply limit the amount of cargo that is destined to “unfriendly” nations. Nations like Egypt may very well be forced to make a choice between the EU and Russia, and the likelihood of social unrest will make that an easy choice.
Lastly, the creation of such a corridor would be a nail in the coffin for any NATO influence in Central Asia. The Iranians could take advantage of it and very quickly cause enormous problems for the Azeris. Surrounded on all sides, Aliyev, would likely make some big concessions to the Armenians, Iranians and Russians (Chechens). This could include control over oil&gas output further stressing EU’s sport market but also taking control of the Azeri’s share in the NSTC.
from International North–South Transport Corridor - Wikipedia
NATO will be forced to rely more heavily on Turkey, but this may lead to further complications for Erdogan as the Russians could simply decide to support Kurdistan…
The Russians understand the importance of the MED and are likely to create a corridor that connects landlocked Central Asian states to it. To say it's disappointing to see so little attention being paid to the MED by Western leaders is an understatement. The continental obsessions of EU leaders is an enormous hindrance to any real development, and without any commodities to back our economies their aspirations are nothing more than an exercise in futility. We need a strategy to counteract this, not TAXONOMY.
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