Geopolitics

Armenia Votes, Opposition Jailed: Pashinyan's Democracy | Ep 597, Oct 25, 2026 [EP597]

Posted on Monday, Oct 26, 2026 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Geopolitics | Series: wir, video

Groong Links:

Topics:

Municipal elections and one-party dominance
Opposition arrests ahead of Stepanavan elections
Pashinyan’s threats of snap elections
Constitutional changes and Azerbaijani demands
Can elections bring political change?
Government bonuses, cronyism, and accountability
Remembering Rita Vorperian and Osheen Keshishian

Episode 597 | Recorded: October 25, 2026

#Armenia #ArmenianPolitics #NikolPashinyan #ArmenianElections #OppositionCrackdown #SnapElections #ConstitutionalReform #DemocracyUnderThreat

Armenia Votes, Opposition Jailed: Pashinyan's Democracy | Ep 597, Oct 25, 2026 [EP597]

Posted on Monday, Oct 26, 2026 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Geopolitics

Groong Links:

Topics:

Municipal elections and one-party dominance
Opposition arrests ahead of Stepanavan elections
Pashinyan’s threats of snap elections
Constitutional changes and Azerbaijani demands
Can elections bring political change?
Government bonuses, cronyism, and accountability
Remembering Rita Vorperian and Osheen Keshishian

Episode 597 | Recorded: October 25, 2026

#Armenia #ArmenianPolitics #NikolPashinyan #ArmenianElections #OppositionCrackdown #SnapElections #ConstitutionalReform #DemocracyUnderThreat

Vache Gabrielyan - Is the Growth Model Running Out of Steam? | Ep 596, Oct 25, 2026 [EP596]

Posted on Sunday, Oct 25, 2026 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Geopolitics | Series: cog, video

Groong Links:

Guest(s):

Vache Gabrielyan

Topics:

Armenia’s 2026 economic performance and structural imbalances
Construction boom and housing market risks
Consumer credit growth and weak industrial productivity
Systemic failures in government budget execution
Armenia’s 2027 budget priorities and fiscal risks
Rising public debt and debt servicing costs
Defense spending and competing budget priorities
High-tech investments, AI, and economic sustainability

Episode 596 | Recorded: October 23, 2026

#ArmenianEconomy #EconomicGrowth #Armenia2026

Vache Gabrielyan - Is the Growth Model Running Out of Steam? | Ep 596, Oct 25, 2026 [EP596]

Posted on Sunday, Oct 25, 2026 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Geopolitics

Groong Links:

Guest(s):

Vache Gabrielyan

Topics:

Armenia’s 2026 economic performance and structural imbalances
Construction boom and housing market risks
Consumer credit growth and weak industrial productivity
Systemic failures in government budget execution
Armenia’s 2027 budget priorities and fiscal risks
Rising public debt and debt servicing costs
Defense spending and competing budget priorities
High-tech investments, AI, and economic sustainability

Episode 596 | Recorded: October 23, 2026

#ArmenianEconomy #EconomicGrowth #Armenia2026

Transcript: Armenia Votes, Opposition Jailed: Pashinyan's Democracy | Ep 597, Oct 25, 2026 [EP597]

Posted on Monday, Oct 26, 2026 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Geopolitics, Transcript

In this Groong Week in Review episode, Hovik and Asbed break down Armenia’s October 25, 2026 municipal elections and the stark reality of one-party rule under Pashinyan. We discuss administrative pressure, opposition arrests in Stepanavan, jailed candidates, and coerced party defections—exposing how Civil Contract dominates through control of police and judiciary rather than genuine democratic competition. We also examine Pashinyan’s threats of snap elections, constitutional changes responsive to Azerbaijani demands, and whether electoral politics can still deliver political change in Armenia.

Transcript: Vache Gabrielyan - Is the Growth Model Running Out of Steam? | Ep 596, Oct 25, 2026 [EP596]

Posted on Sunday, Oct 25, 2026 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Geopolitics, Transcript

In this episode of Conversations on Groong, we speak with Dr. Vache Gabrielyan about Armenia’s 2026 economic performance and fiscal challenges. We discuss structural imbalances in the economy, banking sector stability, government budget execution failures, rising public debt, and competing priorities for defense spending and economic development heading into 2027.

Armenia on Fire Sale: Land Swaps, COP17, POWs, and the War for Gyumri | Ep 595, Oct 18, 2026 [EP595]

Posted on Thursday, Oct 22, 2026 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Geopolitics | Series: wir, video

Groong Links:

Topics:

Pashinyan’s territorial swap proposal with Azerbaijan
COP17 controversies and environmental double standards
UN inaction on Armenian POWs
Inadequate housing aid for Artsakh refugees
Municipal elections and alleged government pressure
Gyumri’s growing role as an opposition stronghold

Episode 595 | Recorded: October 21, 2026

#Armenia #Azerbaijan #Pashinyan #TerritorialSwap #COP17 #ArmenianPOWs #ArtsakhRefugees #Gyumri

Armenia on Fire Sale: Land Swaps, COP17, POWs, and the War for Gyumri | Ep 595, Oct 18, 2026 [EP595]

Posted on Thursday, Oct 22, 2026 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Geopolitics

Groong Links:

Topics:

Pashinyan’s territorial swap proposal with Azerbaijan
COP17 controversies and environmental double standards
UN inaction on Armenian POWs
Inadequate housing aid for Artsakh refugees
Municipal elections and alleged government pressure
Gyumri’s growing role as an opposition stronghold

Episode 595 | Recorded: October 21, 2026

#Armenia #Azerbaijan #Pashinyan #TerritorialSwap #COP17 #ArmenianPOWs #ArtsakhRefugees #Gyumri

Is Every Square Inch of Armenia Equal? [EP595]

Posted on Thursday, Oct 22, 2026 | Category: Geopolitics, Politics, Armenia

The hosts explain why Tigranashen, Armenia’s road artery to Iran, is not an equal trade for the Artsvashen enclave.

Transcript: Armenia on Fire Sale: Land Swaps, COP17, POWs, and the War for Gyumri | Ep 595, Oct 18, 2026 [EP595]

Posted on Thursday, Oct 22, 2026 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Geopolitics, Transcript

In this episode of Groong Week in Review, Hovik and Asbed break down Pashinyan’s territorial swap proposal with Azerbaijan, examining the strategic implications for Armenia’s 29,743 square kilometers and the security of border communities. We discuss the Armenia-Azerbaijan Peace Process, contradictions between government officials on formal negotiations, inadequate housing aid for Artsakh refugees displaced during the ethnic cleansing, UN inaction on Armenian Prisoners of War, and Gyumri’s emergence as an opposition stronghold ahead of municipal elections.

Arthur Martirosyan - Armenia at a Crossroads: Railways, Reactors, and Security | Ep 594, Oct 17, 2026 [EP594]

Posted on Saturday, Oct 17, 2026 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Geopolitics | Series: cog, video

Groong Links:

Guest(s):

Arthur G. Martirosyan

Topics:

Azeri Soldier Infiltration and Shaki Shooting
Government Accountability and Border Security Failures
Russian Railways and Armenia’s Strategic Options
Nuclear Power: Russian Reactors vs. Western SMRs
TRIPP and Armenia’s Geopolitical Balancing Act
COP17, Environmental Destruction, and Appeasing Azerbaijan

Episode 594 | Recorded: October 16, 2026

#ArmenianElections #Armenia #NikolPashinyan #CivilContract #StrongArmenia #ArmenianOpposition

Arthur Martirosyan - Armenia at a Crossroads: Railways, Reactors, and Security | Ep 594, Oct 17, 2026 [EP594]

Posted on Saturday, Oct 17, 2026 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Geopolitics

Groong Links:

Guest(s):

Arthur G. Martirosyan

Topics:

Azeri Soldier Infiltration and Shaki Shooting
Government Accountability and Border Security Failures
Russian Railways and Armenia’s Strategic Options
Nuclear Power: Russian Reactors vs. Western SMRs
TRIPP and Armenia’s Geopolitical Balancing Act
COP17, Environmental Destruction, and Appeasing Azerbaijan

Episode 594 | Recorded: October 16, 2026

#ArmenianElections #Armenia #NikolPashinyan #CivilContract #StrongArmenia #ArmenianOpposition

You Can Win Without Firing a Shot [EP594]

Posted on Saturday, Oct 17, 2026 | Category: Geopolitics, Azerbaijan, Politics

Martirosyan explains how Aliyev extracts concessions by threatening war, especially when Armenia’s leadership primes its own public to concede.

Transcript: Arthur Martirosyan - Armenia at a Crossroads: Railways, Reactors, and Security | Ep 594, Oct 17, 2026 [EP594]

Posted on Saturday, Oct 17, 2026 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Geopolitics, Transcript

In this episode of Conversations on Groong, we speak with Arthur G. Martirosyan about Armenia at a crossroads in politics and security. We discuss the Shaki infiltration incident and government accountability, Pashinyan’s standoff with Russian Railways over the rail concession, nuclear energy options including Western SMRs versus Russian reactors, TRIPP’s implications for Armenian geopolitics, and environmental destruction at COP17.

Pashinyan's Nuclear U-Turn and Armenia's Security Failures | Ep 593, Oct 11, 2026 [EP593]

Posted on Wednesday, Oct 14, 2026 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Geopolitics | Series: wir, video

Groong Links:

Topics:

Pashinyan’s Nuclear Policy U-Turn
Azerbaijani Infiltration Into Shaki
Karapetyan To Unite The Opposition?
COP17 Spending Corruption
Pashinyan’s Broken Environmental Promises

Episode 593 | Recorded: October 13, 2026

#Armenia #Pashinyan #NuclearEnergy #Azerbaijan #NationalSecurity #SamvelKarapetyan #Corruption #Amulsar

Pashinyan's Nuclear U-Turn and Armenia's Security Failures | Ep 593, Oct 11, 2026 [EP593]

Posted on Wednesday, Oct 14, 2026 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Geopolitics

Groong Links:

Topics:

Pashinyan’s Nuclear Policy U-Turn
Azerbaijani Infiltration Into Shaki
Karapetyan To Unite The Opposition?
COP17 Spending Corruption
Pashinyan’s Broken Environmental Promises

Episode 593 | Recorded: October 13, 2026

#Armenia #Pashinyan #NuclearEnergy #Azerbaijan #NationalSecurity #SamvelKarapetyan #Corruption #Amulsar

Transcript: Pashinyan's Nuclear U-Turn and Armenia's Security Failures | Ep 593, Oct 11, 2026 [EP593]

Posted on Wednesday, Oct 14, 2026 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Geopolitics, Transcript

In this week’s episode of Groong Week in Review, Hovik and Asbed examine Pashinyan’s abrupt reversal on nuclear energy policy, shifting from Western small modular reactors to consideration of a Russian gigawatt-scale plant amid surging data center demands. We discuss the security implications of long-term energy dependency, the geopolitics behind Armenia’s power infrastructure choices, and ongoing concerns about Azerbaijani infiltration, opposition unity under Samvel Karapetyan, and corruption at COP17.

Harut Sassounian - Armenia’s Identity Crisis: Church, State, and Diaspora | Ep 592, Oct 2, 2026 [EP592]

Posted on Friday, Oct 2, 2026 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Geopolitics | Series: cog, video

Groong Links:

Guest(s):

Harut Sassounian

Topics:

Church-State conflict and Garegin II
Bern, Artsakh, and national identity
Government plans to “reform” Church
Pashinyan’s meeting with All-ASA
Armenia-Diaspora relations after June 7

Episode 592 | Recorded: September 30, 2026

#Armenia #ArmenianChurch #GareginII #NikolPashinyan #Artsakh #ArmenianDiaspora #ChurchState #ArmenianIdentity

Harut Sassounian - Armenia’s Identity Crisis: Church, State, and Diaspora | Ep 592, Oct 2, 2026 [EP592]

Posted on Friday, Oct 2, 2026 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Geopolitics

Groong Links:

Guest(s):

Harut Sassounian

Topics:

Church-State conflict and Garegin II
Bern, Artsakh, and national identity
Government plans to “reform” Church
Pashinyan’s meeting with All-ASA
Armenia-Diaspora relations after June 7

Episode 592 | Recorded: September 30, 2026

#Armenia #ArmenianChurch #GareginII #NikolPashinyan #Artsakh #ArmenianDiaspora #ChurchState #ArmenianIdentity

Transcript: Harut Sassounian - Armenia’s Identity Crisis: Church, State, and Diaspora | Ep 592, Oct 2, 2026 [EP592]

Posted on Friday, Oct 2, 2026 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Geopolitics, Transcript

In this episode of Conversations on Groong, we speak with Harut Sassounian about Armenia’s identity crisis amid escalating conflict between the Armenian government and the Armenian Apostolic Church. We discuss Catholicos Garegin II’s statements at the May 2025 World Council of Churches conference in Bern, Pashinyan’s public attacks on senior clergy, the constitutional role of the Armenian Church in national identity, and the deeper geopolitical questions surrounding Armenia-Diaspora relations following the June 2026 Armenian parliamentary elections.

France Freed Its Hostage. What About Ours? [EP591]

Posted on Thursday, Oct 1, 2026 | Category: Geopolitics, Human Rights, Azerbaijan

France helped lift EU sanctions on a Russian billionaire the same day Azerbaijan pardoned a French prisoner, while Armenian hostages stay in Baku.

From Yerablur to Etchmiadzin: Armenia’s Battle Over Memory | Ep 591, Sep 27, 2026 [EP591]

Posted on Thursday, Oct 1, 2026 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Geopolitics | Series: wir, video

Groong Links:

Topics:

September 27 war anniversary and memory
Pashinyan escalates campaign against Church
PACE raises concerns over elections
Armenia, Turkey, Azerbaijan at UNGA
Witkoff reveals Turkish regional advisers
Opposition faces post-election divisions
Arrests and prosecutions over speech
France and Azerbaijan move toward normalization

Episode 591 | Recorded: September 27, 2026

From Yerablur to Etchmiadzin: Armenia’s Battle Over Memory | Ep 591, Sep 27, 2026 [EP591]

Posted on Thursday, Oct 1, 2026 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Geopolitics

Groong Links:

Topics:

September 27 war anniversary and memory
Pashinyan escalates campaign against Church
PACE raises concerns over elections
Armenia, Turkey, Azerbaijan at UNGA
Witkoff reveals Turkish regional advisers
Opposition faces post-election divisions
Arrests and prosecutions over speech
France and Azerbaijan move toward normalization

Episode 591 | Recorded: September 27, 2026

Turkey's Spy Chiefs Advise Washington on Armenia [EP591]

Posted on Thursday, Oct 1, 2026 | Category: Geopolitics, Turkey, USA

Steve Witkoff names his go-to advisors on Armenia: Turkey’s foreign minister and its intelligence chief, both spymasters.

Transcript: From Yerablur to Etchmiadzin: Armenia’s Battle Over Memory | Ep 591, Sep 27, 2026 [EP591]

Posted on Thursday, Oct 1, 2026 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Geopolitics, Transcript

In this week’s Groong Week in Review, Hovik and Asbed mark the sixth anniversary of the 44-Day War and examine Armenia’s deepening crisis over historical memory and national identity. We discuss the Armenian government’s controversial response to September 27 commemorations, escalating tension between the state and the Armenian Church, international concern over election integrity, and Armenia’s isolated position as Azerbaijan demolishes Artsakh’s Armenian cultural heritage while Turkey advances regional integration plans.

Dziunik Aghajanian - From Moscow to Riyadh: New Fault Lines Around Armenia | Ep 590, Sep 25, 2026 [EP590]

Posted on Friday, Sep 25, 2026 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Geopolitics | Series: cog, video

Groong Links:

Guest(s):

Dziunik Aghajanian

Topics:

Russian parliamentary election outcome
Middle East escalation and the Houthis
Armenia-Russia confrontation, including the 102nd base
Asset confiscation, anti-corruption, and Russian interests
Azerbaijan-Armenia “durable peace” tensions
Armenian opposition strategy

Episode 590 | Recorded: September 23, 2026

#Armenia #Russia #SouthCaucasus #Azerbaijan #MiddleEast #UkraineWar #ArmenianPolitics #Geopolitics

Dziunik Aghajanian - From Moscow to Riyadh: New Fault Lines Around Armenia | Ep 590, Sep 25, 2026 [EP590]

Posted on Friday, Sep 25, 2026 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Geopolitics

Groong Links:

Guest(s):

Dziunik Aghajanian

Topics:

Russian parliamentary election outcome
Middle East escalation and the Houthis
Armenia-Russia confrontation, including the 102nd base
Asset confiscation, anti-corruption, and Russian interests
Azerbaijan-Armenia “durable peace” tensions
Armenian opposition strategy

Episode 590 | Recorded: September 23, 2026

#Armenia #Russia #SouthCaucasus #Azerbaijan #MiddleEast #UkraineWar #ArmenianPolitics #Geopolitics

Transcript: Dziunik Aghajanian - From Moscow to Riyadh: New Fault Lines Around Armenia | Ep 590, Sep 25, 2026 [EP590]

Posted on Friday, Sep 25, 2026 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Geopolitics, Transcript

In this episode of Conversations on Groong, we speak with Dziunik Aghajanian about shifting geopolitical pressures on Armenia following Russia’s September 2026 parliamentary elections. We discuss Putin’s strengthened domestic position, the Armenia-Russia confrontation over the 102nd base, asset confiscation and anti-corruption efforts targeting Russian interests, and how Middle East escalation and the Iran War reshape Armenia’s strategic environment amid ongoing Armenia-Azerbaijan Peace Process tensions.

Can an Armenian Even Use TRIPP [EP589]

Posted on Wednesday, Sep 23, 2026 | Category: Geopolitics, Armenia, Azerbaijan

Hovik asks a simple question about TRIPP that no one will answer: can an Armenian board a train in one village and get off in the next?

Who Really Needs the Gyumri Base [EP589]

Posted on Wednesday, Sep 23, 2026 | Category: Geopolitics, Armenia, Russia

Khachatryan flips the question on Western journalists: if the Russian base leaves and Armenia is attacked, will NATO react?

Armenia at 35: Independence, Loss, and Unfinished Wars | Ep 588, Sep 20, 2026 [EP588]

Posted on Wednesday, Sep 23, 2026 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Geopolitics | Series: wir, video

Groong Links:

Topics:

Armenia marks 35 years independent
Artsakh remembered three years later
Armenian POWs remain in Baku
Ukraine strikes deep inside Russia
Turkey-Azerbaijan deepen strategic coordination
Citizenship costs rise sharply
Government opacity over war casualties

Episode 588 | Recorded: September 22, 2026

#Armenia #Artsakh #UkraineWar #ArmenianPOWs #Azerbaijan #Turkey #SouthCaucasus #ArmenianPolitics

Armenia at 35: Independence, Loss, and Unfinished Wars | Ep 588, Sep 20, 2026 [EP588]

Posted on Wednesday, Sep 23, 2026 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Geopolitics

Groong Links:

Topics:

Armenia marks 35 years independent
Artsakh remembered three years later
Armenian POWs remain in Baku
Ukraine strikes deep inside Russia
Turkey-Azerbaijan deepen strategic coordination
Citizenship costs rise sharply
Government opacity over war casualties

Episode 588 | Recorded: September 22, 2026

#Armenia #Artsakh #UkraineWar #ArmenianPOWs #Azerbaijan #Turkey #SouthCaucasus #ArmenianPolitics

The Turkey-Azerbaijan Alliance Armenia Held Off for 26 Years [EP588]

Posted on Wednesday, Sep 23, 2026 | Category: Geopolitics, Turkey, Azerbaijan

Hovik argues the Turkey-Azerbaijan bond is uniquely strong and that Armenia kept Turkey out of the conflict for 26 years until Pashinyan.

Transcript: Armenia at 35: Independence, Loss, and Unfinished Wars | Ep 588, Sep 20, 2026 [EP588]

Posted on Wednesday, Sep 23, 2026 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Geopolitics, Transcript

In this week’s Groong podcast episode, Hovik and Asbed reflect on Armenia’s 35th independence anniversary amid ongoing regional tensions and unresolved conflicts. We discuss the state of Armenian statehood three years after the ethnic cleansing of Artsakh, Armenian prisoners of war still held in Baku, rising citizenship costs, government opacity over war casualties, and deepening Turkey-Azerbaijan strategic coordination.

China Is an Enabling Power, Not an Extractive One [EP587]

Posted on Sunday, Sep 20, 2026 | Category: Geopolitics, China, Economy

Warwick Powell defines China as an enabling power that funds infrastructure, training, and open source models with very few strings, not an extractive hegemon.

How Beijing Really Sees TRIPP and the Middle Corridor [EP587]

Posted on Sunday, Sep 20, 2026 | Category: Geopolitics, China, Armenia

Warwick Powell on why Beijing stays relaxed about TRIPP and the Middle Corridor, and how the risk of any route becoming a chokepoint is managed by keeping alternatives.

Warwick Powell - From BRICS to AI: The Infrastructure Multipolarity | Ep 587, Sep 20, 2026 [EP587]

Posted on Sunday, Sep 20, 2026 | Category: Armenia, China, Geopolitics | Series: cog, video

Groong Links:

Guest(s):

Warwick Powell

Topics:

SCO and BRICS summit outcomes
BRICS financial architecture and currencies
AI safety and strategic competition
AI sovereignty for smaller states

Episode 587 | Recorded: September 17, 2026

#BRICS #China #SCO #Multipolarity #Artificial0Intelligence #AISafety #DigitalSovereignty #TRIPP

Warwick Powell - From BRICS to AI: The Infrastructure Multipolarity | Ep 587, Sep 20, 2026 [EP587]

Posted on Sunday, Sep 20, 2026 | Category: Armenia, China, Geopolitics

Groong Links:

Guest(s):

Warwick Powell

Topics:

SCO and BRICS summit outcomes
BRICS financial architecture and currencies
AI safety and strategic competition
AI sovereignty for smaller states

Episode 587 | Recorded: September 17, 2026

#BRICS #China #SCO #Multipolarity #Artificial0Intelligence #AISafety #DigitalSovereignty #TRIPP

Why the American AI Business Model Collapsed [EP587]

Posted on Sunday, Sep 20, 2026 | Category: Technology, China, Geopolitics

Warwick Powell explains how DeepSeek’s open source model broke the proprietary American AI moat and why safety talk now doubles as commercial cover.

Transcript: Warwick Powell - From BRICS to AI: The Infrastructure Multipolarity | Ep 587, Sep 20, 2026 [EP587]

Posted on Sunday, Sep 20, 2026 | Category: Armenia, China, Geopolitics, Transcript

In this episode of Conversations on Groong, we speak with Professor Warwick Powell about multipolarity, infrastructure, and the strategic implications of emerging power blocs. We discuss tangible outcomes from the SCO and BRICS summits, the shift toward local-currency settlement and financial alternatives to Western institutions, China’s role as an enabling power, and how countries like Armenia navigate the infrastructure competition between TRIPP and competing regional corridors. We also examine AI safety and digital sovereignty in a multipolar world, where both Washington and Beijing view artificial intelligence as a decisive strategic contest.

Hrant Mikaelian - Chips for TRIPP, Education Crisis, and Economic Risks | Ep 586, Sep 17, 2026 [EP586]

Posted on Friday, Sep 18, 2026 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Geopolitics | Series: cog, video

Groong Links:

Guest(s):

Hrant Mikaelian

Topics:

AI chips tied to TRIPP diplomacy
Data centers raise major energy questions
Armenia faces severe education outcomes
Government reforms versus poor student performance
Azerbaijan targets Armenian heritage in Artsakh
Gas dependence exposes Armenia to shocks

Episode 586 | Recorded: September 16, 2026

#Armenia #TRIPP #ArtificialIntelligence #EducationCrisis #Artsakh #EnergySecurity #SouthCaucasus #HrantMikaelian

Hrant Mikaelian - Chips for TRIPP, Education Crisis, and Economic Risks | Ep 586, Sep 17, 2026 [EP586]

Posted on Friday, Sep 18, 2026 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Geopolitics

Groong Links:

Guest(s):

Hrant Mikaelian

Topics:

AI chips tied to TRIPP diplomacy
Data centers raise major energy questions
Armenia faces severe education outcomes
Government reforms versus poor student performance
Azerbaijan targets Armenian heritage in Artsakh
Gas dependence exposes Armenia to shocks

Episode 586 | Recorded: September 16, 2026

#Armenia #TRIPP #ArtificialIntelligence #EducationCrisis #Artsakh #EnergySecurity #SouthCaucasus #HrantMikaelian

Transcript: Hrant Mikaelian - Chips for TRIPP, Education Crisis, and Economic Risks | Ep 586, Sep 17, 2026 [EP586]

Posted on Friday, Sep 18, 2026 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Geopolitics, Transcript

In this episode of Conversations on Groong, we speak with Hrant Mikaelian about chip diplomacy, the TRIPP framework, and Armenia’s structural economic vulnerabilities. We discuss how the U.S. fast-tracked advanced AI exports to secure the Armenia-Azerbaijan Peace Process agreement, the massive energy demands of the planned Firebird data center, Armenia’s deepening education crisis, and the risks of energy dependence as the Armenian Nuclear Power Plant approaches shutdown.

Gandzasar Erasure, Chips for Territory, Russian Money & Pashinyan in Space | Ep 585, Sep 13, 2026 [EP585]

Posted on Wednesday, Sep 16, 2026 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Geopolitics | Series: wir, video

Groong Links:

Topics:

2022 border war and its legacy
Hajiyev spouts hate, EU reps giggle
Armenia’s muted response to Azerbaijan
TRIPP, NVIDIA chips, and sovereignty
Pashinyan’s Paris space summit visit
Russian money flows through Armenia
Russia-Iran coordination in South Caucasus
Political prosecutions and Grigoryan reshuffle

Episode 585 | Recorded: September 14, 2026

#Armenia #Artsakh #Gandzasar #TRIPP #SouthCaucasus #Azerbaijan #Russia #Iran

Gandzasar Erasure, Chips for Territory, Russian Money & Pashinyan in Space | Ep 585, Sep 13, 2026 [EP585]

Posted on Wednesday, Sep 16, 2026 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Geopolitics

Groong Links:

Topics:

2022 border war and its legacy
Hajiyev spouts hate, EU reps giggle
Armenia’s muted response to Azerbaijan
TRIPP, NVIDIA chips, and sovereignty
Pashinyan’s Paris space summit visit
Russian money flows through Armenia
Russia-Iran coordination in South Caucasus
Political prosecutions and Grigoryan reshuffle

Episode 585 | Recorded: September 14, 2026

#Armenia #Artsakh #Gandzasar #TRIPP #SouthCaucasus #Azerbaijan #Russia #Iran

Transcript: Gandzasar Erasure, Chips for Territory, Russian Money & Pashinyan in Space | Ep 585, Sep 13, 2026 [EP585]

Posted on Wednesday, Sep 16, 2026 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Geopolitics, Transcript

In this Groong Week in Review episode, Hovik and Asbed examine the fourth anniversary of the September 2022 border war, Azerbaijan’s ongoing occupation of Armenian territory, and Pashinyan’s political trajectory toward recognizing Artsakh’s loss. We discuss Hajiyev’s inflammatory rhetoric, Armenia’s muted diplomatic response, TRIPP and semiconductor sovereignty, Pashinyan’s attendance at a Paris space summit, Russian financial flows through Armenia, and Russia-Iran coordination in the South Caucasus.

Armenia Has No Plan B if TRIPP Fails [EP583]

Posted on Saturday, Sep 5, 2026 | Category: Geopolitics, Armenia, Politics

Suren Sargsyan warns that Pashinyan’s government has developed no contingency plans if the U.S.-backed TRIPP project fails, leaving the country dangerously exposed.

Can Armenia Avoid Choosing Sides Between Russia and the West? [EP583]

Posted on Saturday, Sep 5, 2026 | Category: Geopolitics, Armenia

Suren Sargsyan argues that Armenia’s best survival strategy is to avoid picking sides in the Russia-West rivalry, despite mounting pressure from both sides.

Suren Sargsyan - Central Asia, TRIPP, Iran, and Armenia in the New Great Game | Ep 583, Sep 5, 2026 [EP583]

Posted on Saturday, Sep 5, 2026 | Category: Armenia, Geopolitics | Series: cog, video

Groong Links:

Guest(s):

Suren Sargsyan

Topics:

U.S. objectives in the Iran war
Russia’s 102nd base in Armenia
Pashinyan’s sovereignty policy contradictions
Great-power rivalry across Central Asia
U.S. and EU interests in TRIPP
Armenia’s place in Eurasian competition

Episode 583 | Recorded: Sep 4, 2026

#Armenia #IranWar #TRIPP #CentralAsia #Russia #UnitedStates #Geopolitics #SouthCaucasus

Suren Sargsyan - Central Asia, TRIPP, Iran, and Armenia in the New Great Game | Ep 583, Sep 5, 2026 [EP583]

Posted on Saturday, Sep 5, 2026 | Category: Armenia, Geopolitics

Groong Links:

Guest(s):

Suren Sargsyan

Topics:

U.S. objectives in the Iran war
Russia’s 102nd base in Armenia
Pashinyan’s sovereignty policy contradictions
Great-power rivalry across Central Asia
U.S. and EU interests in TRIPP
Armenia’s place in Eurasian competition

Episode 583 | Recorded: Sep 4, 2026

#Armenia #IranWar #TRIPP #CentralAsia #Russia #UnitedStates #Geopolitics #SouthCaucasus

TRIPP: Who Developed the Corridor Deal and Why Steve Witkoff Matters [EP583]

Posted on Saturday, Sep 5, 2026 | Category: Geopolitics, Armenia, Azerbaijan, USA

Suren Sargsyan traces the origins of TRIPP back decades and identifies Steve Witkoff as the key architect of the current U.S. initiative.

Trump Has No Exit Strategy in Iran War [EP583]

Posted on Saturday, Sep 5, 2026 | Category: Geopolitics, Iran, USA, Middle East

Suren Sargsyan argues the Trump administration lacks a clear exit strategy in its escalating war with Iran, creating deeper policy problems.

Why Putin and Pashinyan Both Avoid Deciding on Russian Military Base [EP583]

Posted on Saturday, Sep 5, 2026 | Category: Geopolitics, Politics, Armenia, Russia

Suren Sargsyan analyzes why both Putin and Pashinyan publicly defer the decision on the 102nd Russian military base in Gyumri, avoiding responsibility while maintaining the status quo.

Why Russia Might Outsource South Caucasus Control to Iran [EP583]

Posted on Saturday, Sep 5, 2026 | Category: Geopolitics, Russia, Iran, Armenia

Suren Sargsyan explores whether Russia might cede South Caucasus dominance to Iran as a strategic partner, given Moscow’s focus on Ukraine.

Transcript: Suren Sargsyan - Central Asia, TRIPP, Iran, and Armenia in the New Great Game | Ep 583, Sep 5, 2026 [EP583]

Posted on Saturday, Sep 5, 2026 | Category: Armenia, Geopolitics, Transcript

In this episode of Conversations on Groong, we speak with Suren Sargsyan about the Iran War and great power competition for Armenia’s strategic position. We discuss Washington’s unclear endgame in the conflict with Iran, the future of Russia’s military presence in Armenia and CSTO membership, and competing U.S. and European interests in new east-west transit routes through Armenia and Central Asia amid broader geopolitical rivalries.