Groong Links:
Guest:
Topics:
- SCO Summit in China
- The UK in Armenia
- TRIPP / Zangezur Corridor
- Russian Azerbaijani Relations
Episode 467 | Recorded: September 1, 2025
Show Notes
In this Week in Review, we look at Armenia’s role at the SCO summit, where Pashinyan struck a new “strategic partnership” with China while also meeting Putin, raising questions about Yerevan’s shifting alignments. We examine the August 8 Washington documents on TRIPP, where words like “corridor” and “99-year lease” swirl despite Armenia’s denials, and ask what Azerbaijan’s demand for constitutional change really means. We cover rising tensions between Moscow and Baku after Aliyev called Russia an occupier and Zatulin warned against seeing Azerbaijan as a partner. And we discuss the UK’s push to raise relations with Armenia to a strategic level, even as London courts Baku and maintains loopholes in its arms embargo.
Main Topics Addressed
SCO Summit and Multipolarity
- SCO framed as part of a post-unipolar world order.
- Pashinyan–Xi meeting launches a China–Armenia Strategic Partnership.
- Armenia now follows Georgia (2023) and Azerbaijan (2024/2025) in partnering with Beijing.
- Pashinyan–Putin meeting to keep Moscow appeased despite Yerevan’s EU tilt.
- Debate over whether Armenia’s diplomacy is “balanced” or just opportunistic photo ops.
TRIPP / Zangezur Corridor
- August 8 Washington MOUs published: vague, no “corridor” or “99-year lease,” only 3-year renewals.
- Trump and Tom Barrack still use those terms; Aliyev insists his demands are met; Pashinyan claims full sovereignty.
- No agreement on how TRIPP will function; Armenia and Azerbaijan openly contradict each other at SCO.
- Iran remains wary of potential US presence on its border; Armenian officials unable to answer Tehran’s detailed questions.
- Dissolution of OSCE Minsk Group on Sept 1 leaves Artsakh refugees and rights without an international forum.
Tensions between Azerbaijan and Russia
- Aliyev tells Al Arabiya that Russia occupied Azerbaijan since 1920 and calls the Ukraine war an invasion.
- Unlike Pashinyan, Aliyev did not meet Putin at SCO.
- Duma deputy Konstantin Zatulin warns: “We should not delude ourselves about Azerbaijan as a partner.”
- Aliyev increasingly sees Azerbaijan as a “middle power,” but Moscow is expected to eventually retaliate.
UK–Armenia Relations
- Minister Stephen Doughty visits Yerevan after Baku, announces UK–Armenia Strategic Partnership.
- Plans include resident defense attachés, cyber and hybrid-threat cooperation, and support for reforms.
- UK arms embargo narrowed in July, opening loopholes for potential sales to both Armenia and Azerbaijan.
- London’s goals: weaken Russia’s position and secure alternative east–west transit via Syunik.
Key Questions Discussed
- Is Armenia genuinely shaping strategy at the SCO, or just collecting “strategic partnerships” with little substance?
- With TRIPP, are we looking at genuine agreements or vague papers masking deep contradictions?
- How serious are Iran’s concerns about US involvement on its border, and can Yerevan even answer them?
- With the Minsk Group dissolved, what future is there for Artsakh Armenians’ rights and return?
- Is Aliyev overplaying his hand with Moscow by buying into his own “middle power” propaganda?
- Does the UK’s strategic partnership with Armenia strengthen Yerevan, or mainly serve London’s transit and anti-Russia goals?
Thoughts from the Participants
- Benyamin Poghosyan: September 2nd marks Artsakh’s 1991 Declaration of Independence; Armenians must keep that memory alive.
- Asbed Bedrossian: Independence of Artsakh should be remembered and celebrated, even under current conditions.
- Hovik Manucharyan: Keeping memory alive means speaking about Artsakh publicly at every opportunity, not just privately.
Kitchen Sink
- Samvel Karapetyan’s Movement: From jail, he launched “Our Way” (Mer Dzevov) to become a force in 2026 elections, led publicly by nephew Narek Karapetyan.
- ENA Arbitration: Pashinyan fired state lawyer Liparit Drmeyan after he warned regulators to respect a Stockholm arbitration order; PM declared “I am the government.” Karen Andreasyan, previously fired by WhatsApp in 2024, returns as Armenia’s international legal representative.
- Netanyahu’s Remark: On a podcast, he personally recognized the Armenian Genocide, sparking viral claims of official recognition. Israel still hasn’t passed this in Knesset. Turkey condemned him; Pashinyan had earlier told Erdogan Armenia would deprioritize genocide recognition.
- Spy Scandal: Armenian consul to Austria, Ashkhen Aleksanyan, arrested for allegedly spying for Azerbaijan through a romantic relationship; case largely covered up by authorities.
- Swiss Influencer Incident: Sandro Schmid filmed an Armenian border post, garnering 400k views; border guards offered vodka and cursed Putin while MPs are blocked from inspections.
- James O’Brien Statement: Former US official said Aug 8 deal gave Armenia no dividends, only benefits to Azerbaijan; Pashinyan hit back, blaming Biden-era failures in 2021–2023.
Referenced Articles & Sources
- Prime Minister’s Office publishes Armenia–United States memorandums of understanding (Armenpress)
- China, Armenia establish strategic partnership during SCO summit (Armenpress)
- UK, Armenia agree to elevate ties to strategic partnership (Armenpress)
- Armenia, Pakistan establish diplomatic relations (Armenpress)
- UK Parliament statement on arms embargo, July 1, 2025
- Members of the Armenian-Azerbaijani expert strategic platform issue statement welcoming results of Washington meeting (Commonspace.eu)
- Aliyev interview with Al Arabiya (Youtube)
- Konstantin Zatulin interview (Lenta.ru)
- Jailed Armenian Tycoon Launches New Movement (Azatutyun)
- Armenian Official Fired After Warning Against Seizure Of Electric Utility (Azatutyun)
- Israel’s Netanyahu ‘Personally’ Recognizes Armenian Genocide (Asbarez)
- Sources reported the detention of the Armenian consul in Austria on suspicion of espionage (Кавказский Узел)
- Armenia bans unlicensed use of cameras, including drones at borders (Armenpress)
- Sandro Schmid’s Visit To An Armenian Border Post (Facebook)
- Channel 5 Coverage of the Sandro Schmid Scandal (Youtube)
- Former U.S. Official Questions Armenian-Azeri Deal Brokered By Trump (Azatutyun)
Wrap-up
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Guests
Benyamin Poghosyan
Dr. Benyamin Poghosyan is a Senior Research Fellow at APRI Armenia, a Yerevan based think tank,and the Chairman of the Center for Political and Economic Strategic Studies. He has served as the vice president for research and head of the Institute for National Strategic Studies at the National Defense Research University in Armenia. Dr. Poghosyan was a Distinguished Research Fellow at the US National Defense University College of International Security Affairs. He is a graduate from the US State Department Study of the US Institutes for Scholars 2012 Program on US National Security Policy Making. He holds a PhD in history and is a graduate from the 2006 Tavitian Program on International Relations at Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy.
Hosts
Asbed Bedrossian
Asbed Bedrossian is an IT professional with extensive experience in enterprise IT infrastructure, IT security, enterprise applications, data center operations, high performance computing, ITSM, ITPM, and more.
Asbed is founder of the Armenian News Network Groong (ca. 1989/1990) and co-founder of the ANN/Groong podcast in 2020.
Hovik Manucharyan
Hovik Manucharyan is an information security engineer who moved from Seattle to Armenia in 2022. He co-founded the ANN/Groong podcast in 2020 and has been a contributor to Groong News since the late 1990s.
Disclaimer: The views expressed by Hovik Manucharyan on the ANN/Groong podcast are his own and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of his employer or any other organization.