Episode 536 | Recorded: April 27, 2026
Episode 535 | Recorded: April 24, 2026
#Armenia #ArmenianElections #Election2026 #IODA #OSCE #ODIHR #Geopolitics #Democracy
Episode 535 | Recorded: April 24, 2026
#Armenia #ArmenianElections #Election2026 #IODA #OSCE #ODIHR #Geopolitics #Democracy
Dr. Philippe Raffi Kalfayan joined Groong to discuss the International Observatory for Democracy in Armenia (IODA), its work ahead of Armenia’s June 7, 2026 parliamentary elections, and the risks it sees in the pre-election environment. The conversation covered IODA’s mission, its first fact-finding trip to Armenia, concerns about judicial control and administrative resources, questions about OSCE/ODIHR and EU impartiality, and the pressure facing opposition figures and parties before election day.
Episode 534 | Recorded: April 21, 2026
Episode 534 | Recorded: April 21, 2026
In this episode of the Groong podcast, we speak with Dr. Dmitry Suslov about the shifting geopolitical landscape across the Iran war, the Ukraine conflict, and the South Caucasus. We examine the fragile state of the Iran war and its impact on global trade and regional escalation, Russia’s strategic positioning, and the potential for a broader conflict involving Azerbaijan and Turkey. The discussion then turns to the Ukraine war, focusing on attrition, Europe’s growing militarization, and the prospects for a long-term Russia–Europe confrontation. Finally, we explore Russia’s policy in the South Read More
Episode 533 | Recorded: April 21, 2026
Episode 533 | Recorded: April 21, 2026
Prof. Warwick Powell discusses his thermoeconomic view of world politics, where energy, money, and information form a single system. We connect the war on Iran to declining U.S. energy efficiency, the limits of airpower, de-dollarization, and the rise of alternative financial and information architectures. We also bring the conversation back to Armenia, asking what TRIPP, SMRs, and large AI data centers could mean for a small state trying to protect its energy and information sovereignty. We close by reflecting on considerations for Armenia in implementing centralized data infrastructure, more Read More
Episode 532 | Recorded: April 20, 2026
#Armenia #Iran #IranWar #Hormuz #ArmeniaElections #SouthCaucasus
Episode 532 | Recorded: April 20, 2026
#Armenia #Iran #IranWar #Hormuz #ArmeniaElections #SouthCaucasus
In this Week in Review episode, Ambassador Dziunik Aghajanian discusses the stalled Iran negotiations after the Islamabad talks, the renewed pressure around Hormuz and the naval blockade, Turkey’s posture toward Israel and the region; Armenia’s lower-profile participation in the Antalya Diplomatic Forum; Russia’s shifting rhetoric on TRIPP and the South Caucasus; and the June 7 parliamentary election in Armenia, including constitutional changes, border concessions, the gas pipeline rerouting issue, and the use of surveillance and arrests against opposition figures.
Episode 531 | Recorded: April 14, 2026
#Armenia #IranWar #ArmenianPolitics #HungaryElections #ArmeniaPolls
Episode 531 | Recorded: April 14, 2026
#Armenia #IranWar #ArmenianPolitics #HungaryElections #ArmeniaPolls
This Week in Review examines how foreign shocks and internal political pressures are converging for Armenia. We look at the breakdown of US-Iran talks and the threat of a new naval blockade, Viktor Orban’s defeat in Hungary and what it may mean for the region, and fresh polling in Armenia on security, war, free speech, voter participation, and party support ahead of the 2026 elections. The episode also explores whether the Abkhaz railway could offer Armenia a real alternative to routes that deepen dependence on Azerbaijan and Turkey, and what the latest polling says about the opposition’s position.
Episode 530 | Recorded: April 7, 2026
#Groong #Armenia
Episode 530 | Recorded: April 7, 2026
#Groong #Armenia
In this Week in Review, Hovik and Asbed discussed the escalating US-Israeli war on Iran and the danger of a wider regional catastrophe; we reflected on the tenth anniversary of the April 2016 Four-Day War and what it revealed about Armenia’s military and diplomatic posture; we examined the fallout from Pashinyan’s Moscow visit and the increasingly blunt Russian response, and reviewed the fast-moving Armenian election campaign, including pressure on the opposition, EU involvement, and the emerging strategies of major the various alliances.
Episode 529 | Recorded on April 3, 2026
#IranIsraelWar #IsraelIranConflict #IsraelConflict #Armenia #MiddleEastCrisis #ArmeniaElections #PietroShakarian #TRIPP
Episode 529 | Recorded on April 3, 2026
#IranIsraelWar #IsraelIranConflict #IsraelConflict #Armenia #MiddleEastCrisis #ArmeniaElections #PietroShakarian #TRIPP
Dr. Pietro Shakarian joined us to discuss the state of the U.S.-Israel war on Iran, the shrinking chances for a diplomatic off-ramp, and how the conflict is shifting wider Eurasian politics. The conversation then turned to Armenia, including the likely freezing of TRIPP amid the Iran war, Pashinyan’s contentious visit to Moscow, and the deeper low point in Armenia-Russia relations. The final section focused on Armenia’s June parliamentary elections, public sentiment toward Pashinyan, fears over election integrity, and the evolving opposition landscape.
Episode 528 | Recorded: March 30, 2026
Episode 528 | Recorded: March 30, 2026
Episode 527 | Recorded: March 23, 2026
#Groong #Armenia
Episode 527 | Recorded: March 23, 2026
#Groong #Armenia
Episode 526 | Recorded: March 21, 2026
#Artsakh #Armenia #YoungMin #NagornoKarabakh #EthnicCleansing
Read MoreEpisode 526 | Recorded: March 21, 2026
#Artsakh #Armenia #YoungMin #NagornoKarabakh #EthnicCleansing
Read MoreEpisode 525 | Recorded: March 20, 2026
#GroongPodcast #EldarMamedov #IranWar #Azerbaijan #SouthCaucasus
Episode 525 | Recorded: March 20, 2026
#GroongPodcast #EldarMamedov #IranWar #Azerbaijan #SouthCaucasus
Episode 524 | Recorded: March 19, 2026
#IranWar #VaruzhanGeghamyan #ZangezurCorridor #Syunik #ArmeniaGeopolitics
Episode 524 | Recorded: March 19, 2026
#IranWar #VaruzhanGeghamyan #ZangezurCorridor #Syunik #ArmeniaGeopolitics
Episode 522 | Recorded: March 16, 2026
Episode 522 | Recorded: March 16, 2026
Episode 521 | Recorded: March 10, 2026
#IranWar #EpicFury #MiddleEastWar #ArmeniaForeignPolicy #Sumgait1988 #IranIsraelConflict
Episode 521 | Recorded: March 10, 2026
#IranWar #EpicFury #MiddleEastWar #ArmeniaForeignPolicy #Sumgait1988 #IranIsraelConflict
Episode 520 | Recorded: March 3, 2026
#IranWar #EpicFury #MiddleEastWar #ArmeniaForeignPolicy #Sumgait1988 #IranIsraelConflict
Episode 520 | Recorded: March 3, 2026
#IranWar #EpicFury #MiddleEastWar #ArmeniaForeignPolicy #Sumgait1988 #IranIsraelConflict
Episode 519 | Recorded: February 25, 2026
#Armenia #Iran #ArmeniaElections #ArmenianChurch #SouthCaucasus
Episode 519 | Recorded: February 25, 2026
#Armenia #Iran #ArmeniaElections #ArmenianChurch #SouthCaucasus
Episode 518 | Recorded: February 22, 2026
#GroongDeepHistory #Vardanank #BattleOfAvarayr #ArmenianHistory #ZarouiPogossian
Episode 518 | Recorded: February 22, 2026
#GroongDeepHistory #Vardanank #BattleOfAvarayr #ArmenianHistory #ZarouiPogossian
Episode 517 | Recorded: February 13, 2026
#Groong #Armenia #JDVance #Tsitsernakaberd #TRIPP
Episode 517 | Recorded: February 13, 2026
#Groong #Armenia #JDVance #Tsitsernakaberd #TRIPP
Episode 516 | Recorded: February 9, 2026
Episode 516 | Recorded: February 9, 2026
Episode 515 | Recorded: February 6, 2026
Episode 515 | Recorded: February 6, 2026
Episode 514 | Recorded: February 4, 2026
#CancelingRussia #RussianForeignPolicy #UkraineWar #StateCivilization #TowersOfTheKremlin #RussianOrthodoxChurch
Episode 514 | Recorded: February 4, 2026
#CancelingRussia #RussianForeignPolicy #UkraineWar #StateCivilization #TowersOfTheKremlin #RussianOrthodoxChurch
Episode 513 | Recorded: February 3, 2026
#ArmenianChurch #ReligiousFreedom #ClergyArrests #IRFSummit2026 #ChristianSolidarityInternational
Episode 513 | Recorded: February 3, 2026
#ArmenianChurch #ReligiousFreedom #ClergyArrests #IRFSummit2026 #ChristianSolidarityInternational
Episode 512 | Recorded: February 2, 2026
#IranIsraelWar #TrumpArmada #ArmenianChurch #Pashinyan #ArmenianDiaspora
Episode 512 | Recorded: February 2, 2026
#IranIsraelWar #TrumpArmada #ArmenianChurch #Pashinyan #ArmenianDiaspora
Episode 511 | Recorded: January 28, 2026
Episode 511 | Recorded: January 28, 2026
Episode 510 | Recorded: Jnauary 27, 2026
Episode 510 | Recorded: Jnauary 27, 2026
Episode 509 | Recorded: January 18, 2026
Episode 509 | Recorded: January 18, 2026