Joseph Epstein
@epsteinjos
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Director of @TuranCenter. Contributor to @wsj, @newsweek, @besa_center, @thehill, @novayagazeta_en, @AtlanticCouncil, etc. Focus on Eurasia and Middle East.
Washington, DC
Joined July 2023
My latest for @Newsweek on how Trump should expand the Abraham Accords to Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. Doing so will help Washington establish a needed foothold in this crucial region. https://t.co/oazllOtEE4
newsweek.com
Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan, in particular, have become known as Israel's "Best Friends" in the Muslim world—a friendship that has reaped generous dividends, as would future, warmer ties.
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Why is India’s trade with Central Asia still stuck at ~$2 billion? Author and columnist @ArunAnandLive shows how geography, Pakistan’s transit denial, and China’s infrastructure dominance have turned a natural corridor into a strategic dead end. Link here:
turancenter.org
The idea of reconnecting world’s largest democracy with Central Asia carries deep civilizational resonance. For centuries, merchants, monks, and monarchs traversed the mountain passes of the Hindu...
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Only 16% of Republicans view Russia favorably. Just 11% want less Israel support. So why is Tucker Carlson's fringe isolationism being treated as the future of MAGA? Trump still has time to set boundaries. The question is whether he will. My latest for @TheNatlInterest:
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Azerbaijan’s post-2020 military buildup has been widely misunderstood. My latest piece for @TuranCenter shows that the systems Baku is acquiring—from maritime ISR to advanced air defense and long-range strike—are aligned with Caspian security and managing tensions with Iran, not
turancenter.org
Over the past few years, Azerbaijan has dramatically scaled up its military, setting a 2025 record of roughly $5 billion in defense spending. This build-up includes modern multirole jets like the...
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Azerbaijan is emerging as the bridge between Central Asia and the West. Pairing its regional leadership with Israel’s expertise in water, tech, and cybersecurity under a C6+2 framework would give the US a stronger footprint in the region argues @epsteinjos
https://t.co/4oH5OwFMMz
n7.org
N7 Expert Joseph Epstein breaks down the potential inclusion of Israel and Azerbaijan into the C5+1
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Kyrgyzstan’s 2025 snap parliamentary elections reshaped the political landscape. Research Fellow @AigiTurgunbaeva analyzes executive consolidation, the Japarov–Tashiev balance, and north–south dynamics shaping stability ahead of 2027. https://t.co/g9MsVXK4GJ
turancenter.org
Why the Elections Came EarlyOn November 30, 2025, Kyrgyzstan held snap parliamentary elections nearly a year ahead of schedule, following the September self-dissolution of the Supreme Council, also...
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In my latest for @N7_Foundation, I argue that the United States should engage Central Asia through a coalition that includes both its allies and key regional partners. Expanding the C5+1 into a C6+2—bringing Israel in alongside the Central Asian states and Azerbaijan—would allow
n7.org
N7 Expert Joseph Epstein breaks down the potential inclusion of Israel and Azerbaijan into the C5+1
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RT @TuranCenter: Azerbaijan’s growing role in Central Asia could transform Eurasia’s geopolitical map. In a new Turan Center analysis, Elda…
turancenter.org
Azerbaijan’s deepening engagement with Central Asia represents one of the most consequential — albeit under-examined — shifts in Eurasian geopolitics. Its influence will ultimately be measured not...
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In my latest piece I look at emerging silk roads in the Middle East. Turkey is leading the way through building new connectivity. https://t.co/Pk6SRDsTQu
manaramagazine.org
The flourishing ties between Turkey and the GCC are buttressed by Ankara’s development of new trade routes spanning the Middle East.
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In my latest for @TuranCenter, I explore how Armenia is expanding its diplomatic outreach at the risk of angering Iran. Deputy FM Vahan Kostanyan’s visit to Israel included discussions on economic cooperation and the TRIPP transport corridor, part of ongoing regional
turancenter.org
Amidst ongoing progress on Azerbaijan-Armenia normalization and Yerevan’s regional integration, Deputy Foreign Minister Vahan Kostanyan made an underreported but significant visit to Israel. He met...
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Uzbekistan–Kazakhstan cooperation/competition are reshaping Central Asia’s trade routes. Nargiza Umarova analyzes how the CKU railway, TITR, and Trans-Afghan corridors are redefining Eurasian connectivity. Read the full analysis:
turancenter.org
Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan are the two largest economies in Central Asia, and their economic structures are largely complementary, creating favorable conditions for deeper regional integration. After...
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Turkey is expanding its defense footprint on two fronts: deepening alignment in Eurasia through drone and armor sales to Turkic partners, while accelerating new deals across Latin America. A widening strategic push — as outlined by @W_Alex_Sanchez Link to article:
turancenter.org
Turkey’s defense industry is entering a new phase of global expansion—with Latin America emerging as its next strategic frontier. The recent delivery of Otokar vehicles to Ecuador and the ratificat...
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You need to read this a analysis by @ratnadeeep_ on India-Taliban relations
Amir Khan Muttaqi’s visit to Deoband signals a new chapter in India-Taliban relations. From hostility to cautious engagement, New Delhi is recalibrating strategy amid shifting geopolitics. Can pragmatism reshape regional dynamics? Read more in @ratnadeeep_ 's debut analysis:
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Amir Khan Muttaqi’s visit to Deoband signals a new chapter in India-Taliban relations. From hostility to cautious engagement, New Delhi is recalibrating strategy amid shifting geopolitics. Can pragmatism reshape regional dynamics? Read more in @ratnadeeep_ 's debut analysis:
turancenter.org
Taliban Acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi’s October visit to the Darul Uloom Deoband Islamic seminary in Uttar Pradesh, India, made history. Crowds gathered in large numbers to glimpse the...
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U.S.–Central Asia relations enter a new era. At the C5+1’s tenth anniversary, Washington shifts focus from democracy and security to business, minerals, and technology. A detailed look at this pragmatic reset by @BrucePannier. https://t.co/gsRL1vODBh
turancenter.org
When the presidents of the five Central Asian republics gathered at the White House on November 6, 2025, it marked a milestone in the often uneven story of U.S. engagement with the region. For the...
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📝| The White House announced on Thursday that Kazakhstan will join the Abraham Accords. "While some have dismissed an expansion to Central Asia as 'largely symbolic,' this interpretation overlooks deeper implications," argues @epsteinjos. https://t.co/dO0FofxxRS
atlanticcouncil.org
While some have dismissed an expansion to Central Asia as “largely symbolic” this interpretation overlooks deeper implications.
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The White House announced on Thursday that Kazakhstan will join the Abraham Accords. While some have dismissed an expansion to Central Asia as “largely symbolic,” it carries deeper implications, writes @epsteinjos.
atlanticcouncil.org
While some have dismissed an expansion to Central Asia as “largely symbolic” this interpretation overlooks deeper implications.
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Extending the Abraham Accords to Kazakhstan marks a new phase—building a coalition of pro-US Muslim nations committed to tolerance and engagement with Israel. Such a coalition strengthens efforts to counter extremism, particularly state-sponsored ideology from Iran, and fosters
atlanticcouncil.org
While some have dismissed an expansion to Central Asia as “largely symbolic” this interpretation overlooks deeper implications.
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My comments on Kazakhstan joining the Abraham Accords for @RFERL: “Astana’s decision to join the Abraham Accords marks the beginning of a new phase, transforming the accords from a Middle East peace initiative to a pro-US coalition of moderate Muslim countries devoted to
rferl.org
US President Donald Trump unveiled a slew of trade, diplomatic, and mineral deals at a summit with Central Asia’s five leaders as Kazakhstan announced plans to join the Abraham Accords.
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Ресурсы, дороги, стратегия: зачем Трампу нужен визит в Центральную Азию https://t.co/IUoW9bCsMX
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