Thirty Years After the USSR

• Dr. Pietro Shakarian is a Lecturer in history at the American University of Armenia in Yerevan. His research focuses on the history of Eastern Armenia and the Caucasus, especially Soviet Armenia during the era of Nikita Khrushchev’s Thaw. His analyses on Russia and the former Soviet region have appeared in The Nation, The Plain Dealer, the Russian International Affairs Council, Hetq, and more.

Topics:

• How did the USSR Dissolve, who were the personalities behind it?
• Did Ethnic Nationalism Have a Hand in it?
• Did Ronald Reagan Defeat the Soviet Union?
• What are the

ANN/Groong Week in Review - December 19, 2021

Topics:

• Turkish-Armenian normalization
• Brussels Sprouts
• Armen Grigoryan in Washington DC
• The Armenian Project - US Tour
• Analyst Rants

Guest:

• Varuzhan Geghamyan

Episode 108 | Recorded: December 20, 2021

Anar Valiyev and Benyamin Poghosyan discuss stumbling blocks in post-war negotiations

Guests:

• Dr. Anar Valiyev, Associate Professor at Azerbaijani Diplomatic Academy (ADA) University in Baku.
• Dr. Benyamin Poghosyan, Chairman of Yerevan-based think tank Center for Political and Economic Strategic Studies.

Topics:

• Artsakh Status (@4:54)
• Is the conflict really “solved” (@11:04)
• Opening of Communications (@38:52)
• Corridor for Corridor (@46:32)
• “Unimpeded” Access (@50:15)
• Russia’s regional role (@53:16)
• Turkey’s regional role (@58:48)
• 3+3 or 3+2 Format

ANN/Groong Week in Review - December 12, 2021

Topics:

• Zoom for Democracy
• Domestic Politics
• Regional Politics
• Artsakh Independence at 30
• Analyst Rants

Guests:

• Benyamin Poghosyan TW/@benyamin_poghos
• Pietro Shakarian

Hosts:

• Hovik Manucharyan TW/@HovikYerevan
• Asbed Bedrossian TW/@qubriq

Episode 106 | Recorded: Sunday, December 12, 2021

ANN/Groong Week in Review - December 5, 2021

Topics:

• Regional Geopolitics @1:07
• Turkmenistan / Iran Gas Swap Deal @46:58
• Opposition Fizzles Out. Again @58:18

Guests:

• Benyamin Poghosyan TW/@benyamin_poghos

Hosts:

• Hovik Manucharyan TW/@HovikYerevan
• Asbed Bedrossian TW/@qubriq

Episode 105 | Recorded: Sunday, December 5, 2021 Website: https://groong.org/podcasts/WiR-20211205.html

ANN/Groong Week in Review - November 28, 2021

Topics:

• Pashinyan Live on Facebook
• Trilateral in Sochi, Bilateral in Brussels
• Turkish-Armenian “Normalization”
• Russian-Turkish “Co-opetition” in Eurasia

Guests:

• Hrant Mikaelian TW/@hrant_m
• Yeghia Tashjian TW/@yeghig

Hosts:

• Hovik Manucharyan TW/@HovikYerevan
• Asbed Bedrossian TW/@qubriq

Episode 104 | Recorded: Sunday, November 28, 2021 Website: https://groong.org/podcasts/WiR-20211128.html

ANN/Groong Week in Review - November 21, 2021

Topics:

• Russia-NATO escalation
• Border escalation
• Goodbye Moscow, Hello Brussels!
• Protests in Yerevan

Guest: Pietro Shakarian

Hosts:

• Hovik Manucharyan TW/@HovikYerevan
• Asbed Bedrossian TW/@qubriq

Episode 103 | Recorded: Monday, November 22, 2021 Show notes: https://groong.org/podcasts/WiR-20211121.html

Groong Links:

• GIVE to GROONG
• linktr.ee/Groong

Guest:

• Mr. Vardan Aramyan - Fmr. Minister of Finance, Republic of Armenia

Topics:

• 2022 Budget and Economic Growth @1:24
  • Did Armenian economy recover already? @3:55
  • Does the structure of growth mirror worldwide growth @8:55
  • What happens if growth doesn’t meet target @14:25
  • Why did the IMF underestimate Armenian growth initially @17:38
• Growth Sectors in Budget @23:41
  • Are prices for Copper/Aluminum extremely inflated? @25:50
• Inflation @32:48
  • Effect on wages, income inequality, poverty & other socioeconomic markers? @41:36

ANN/Groong Week in Review - November 7, 2021

Topics:

• Armenia under wide scale attacks by Azerbaijan @0:55
• Border Politics @7:20
• Azerbaijan Returns to the OSCE MG @29:49
• Municipal elections Over the Past Weekend @44:38

Guests:

• Arthur Martirosyan TW/@ArtMart96 Hosts:
• Hovik Manucharyan TW/@HovikYerevan
• Asbed Bedrossian TW/@qubriq

Episode 101 | Recorded: Monday, November 16, 2021 Website: https://groong.org/podcasts/WiR-20211114.html