Ankara
Last updated: June 10, 2026
Ankara serves as the seat of Turkish state power and the command center for Turkey’s expansive regional ambitions in the South Caucasus. Turkish foreign policy under Recep Tayyip Erdogan has consistently backed Ilham Aliyev and Azerbaijan’s military and territorial objectives, most visibly during the 44-Day War in 2020 and again through Turkey’s refusal to recognize Armenia’s sovereignty over Artsakh (Nagorno Karabakh) or acknowledge the rights of Armenians displaced from the region. Turkey’s pan-Turanic ideology—the vision of linking Turkish and Azerbaijani power across the region—drives Ankara’s insistence on what it calls the “Zangezur Corridor” through Armenian Syunik province. In contrast, the United States frames the same transit route as TRIPP (Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity), a project designed to connect Asia to Europe while bypassing Russia and Iran and serving American strategic interests in critical minerals and limiting Chinese and Russian influence. This terminological and strategic divide reflects a deeper contest over who will dominate the corridor infrastructure and the region’s geopolitical alignment.
Ankara’s position has hardened as Iran war dynamics have reshaped the region. In episode 525, Eldar Mamedov examined how Turkey’s ambiguous posture toward the widening US-Israeli conflict against Iran leaves room for Azerbaijan to move closer to Israel while Turkey itself maintains plausible deniability. Turkey has also consolidated control over northern Syria through its backed forces, expanding its footprint in the Middle East in ways that complicate its relationship with both Iran and Russia. These moves have implications for Armenia: as Varuzhan Geghamyan outlined in episode 524, Turkey’s continued support for the “Zangezur Corridor” agenda reflects Ankara’s view of Armenia as an obstacle to pan-Turanic regional integration, a framing that persists regardless of whether the corridor is ever operationalized.
The tension between Ankara’s regional dominance and European and American alternative visions for the South Caucasus creates structural instability. Europe , dependent on Azerbaijani gas to replace lost Russian supplies, has found itself unable to push back against Turkish-Azerbaijani territorial and demographic claims with any force. Meanwhile, the United States under Donald Trump has pursued transactional partnerships with both Turkey and Azerbaijan, treating them as tools for containing Iran and China rather than as actors whose interests might conflict with Armenian sovereignty or TRIPP’s stated aims. Ankara’s willingness to coordinate with Baku on ethnic cleansing from Artsakh, coupled with its historical Armenian Genocide denial, means that Turkish policy has consistently worked to erase Armenian presence from territories Turkey and Azerbaijan control. This erasure is not incidental to Turkish regional strategy; it is central to it.
Groong episodes that include this tag
Below are all Groong episodes tagged with Ankara.
Arthur Khachikyan: Artsakh Under Blockade: Day 6 [EP185]
Posted on Saturday, Dec 17, 2022 | Category: Artsakh, Politics, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Russia, Turkey, Artsakh Blockade, Nagorno Karabakh, Armenian Genocide, Genocide, Iran, Ukraine, NATO, Israel, China, Economy, India
Guest:
- Arthur Khachikyan , PhD is an International Relations expert from Stanford University, specializing in Intervention. He currently teaches at the Russian Armenian University in Yerevan.
Topic:
Weâre going on to Day 6 of the Artsakh Blockade by Azerbaijan, and Groong and 168 Hours are teaming up to bring you more English-language coverage on the developments of this very serious issue, a major humanitarian crisis in Artsakh in progress.
“We somehow have this complex. We think weâre the sleeping beauty and the west is going to come and save us. And every time that it
Read MoreArmenian Economy | Armenia-Azerbaijan Negotiations | French Senate Slams Azerbaijan | Opposition Back in Parliament [EP179]
Posted on Sunday, Nov 20, 2022 | Category: Politics, Armenia, Economy, Artsakh, Nagorno Karabakh, Russia, Azerbaijan, Ukraine, Genocide, European Union, Geopolitics, Turkey, India | Series: wir
Guest:
Topics:
- How is Armenia’s Economy Doing?
- Armenia-Azerbaijan Negotiations
- French Senate Slams Azerbaijani Occupation of Armenia
- The Opposition Returns to Parliament
Episode 179 | Recorded: November 21, 2022
Armenian Economy | Armenia-Azerbaijan Negotiations | French Senate Slams Azerbaijan | Opposition Back in Parliament [EP179]
Posted on Sunday, Nov 20, 2022 | Category: Politics, Armenia, Economy, Artsakh, Nagorno Karabakh, Russia, Azerbaijan, Ukraine, Genocide, European Union, Geopolitics, Turkey, IndiaGuest:
Topics:
- How is Armenia’s Economy Doing?
- Armenia-Azerbaijan Negotiations
- French Senate Slams Azerbaijani Occupation of Armenia
- The Opposition Returns to Parliament
Episode 179 | Recorded: November 21, 2022
From ‘revolution’ to war with Dr. Vahram Ter-Matevosyan | Ep 164 - Sep 12, 2022 [EP164]
Posted on Monday, Sep 12, 2022 | Category: Artsakh, Nagorno Karabakh, Armenia, Politics, Turkey, Russia, Azerbaijan, Middle East, Iran, Syria, NATO | Series: cog
From ârevolutionâ to war: deciphering Armeniaâs populist foreign policy-making process Conversation with Dr. Vahram Ter-Matevosyan
Armenian News Network/Groong - September 12, 2022
Recently two AUA professors (Prof. Hovhannes Nikoghosyan and Prof. Vahram Ter-Matevosyan) published a paper in Taylor and Francis Online (TANDF) that analyzes the foreign policy decision making (FPDM) process of the Nikol Pashinyan administration, titled: “From ârevolutionâ to war: deciphering Armeniaâs populist foreign policy-making process”. In this episode, we talk to one of the authors
Read MoreFrom ‘revolution’ to war with Dr. Vahram Ter-Matevosyan | Ep 164 - Sep 12, 2022 [EP164]
Posted on Monday, Sep 12, 2022 | Category: Artsakh, Nagorno Karabakh, Armenia, Politics, Turkey, Russia, Azerbaijan, Middle East, Iran, Syria, NATOFrom ârevolutionâ to war: deciphering Armeniaâs populist foreign policy-making process Conversation with Dr. Vahram Ter-Matevosyan
Armenian News Network/Groong - September 12, 2022
Recently two AUA professors (Prof. Hovhannes Nikoghosyan and Prof. Vahram Ter-Matevosyan) published a paper in Taylor and Francis Online (TANDF) that analyzes the foreign policy decision making (FPDM) process of the Nikol Pashinyan administration, titled: “From ârevolutionâ to war: deciphering Armeniaâs populist foreign policy-making process”. In this episode, we talk to one of the authors
Read MoreOpposition restart | Berdzor & Aghavno | "Peace Plan" | Military service | Ep 160 - Aug 28, 2022 [EP160]
Posted on Sunday, Aug 28, 2022 | Category: Armenia, Russia, Turkey, Azerbaijan, Genocide, Iran, Economy, Syria, Ukraine, Nagorno Karabakh, NATO | Series: wir
Armenian News Network/Groong Week in Review - August 21, 2022
Topics:
- 00:00 Introduction
- 02:02 Opposition movement restarts
- 25:28 Berdzor & Aghavno handover
- 34:43 âPeace Planâ coming?
- 49:54 Newly proposed military service avoidance law
- 54:15 Rant
Guest: Dr. Arthur Khachikyan
Guest(s):
Hosts:
Hovik Manucharyan TW/@HovikYerevan Asbed Bedrossian TW/@qubriq
Episode 160 | Recorded: Sunday, August 28, 2022
Opposition restart | Berdzor & Aghavno | "Peace Plan" | Military service | Ep 160 - Aug 28, 2022 [EP160]
Posted on Sunday, Aug 28, 2022 | Category: Armenia, Russia, Turkey, Azerbaijan, Genocide, Iran, Economy, Syria, Ukraine, Nagorno Karabakh, NATOArmenian News Network/Groong Week in Review - August 21, 2022
Topics:
- 00:00 Introduction
- 02:02 Opposition movement restarts
- 25:28 Berdzor & Aghavno handover
- 34:43 âPeace Planâ coming?
- 49:54 Newly proposed military service avoidance law
- 54:15 Rant
Guest: Dr. Arthur Khachikyan
Guest(s):
Hosts:
Hovik Manucharyan TW/@HovikYerevan Asbed Bedrossian TW/@qubriq
Episode 160 | Recorded: Sunday, August 28, 2022
Azerbaijan Attacks | Evacuating Berdzor & Aghavno | Chalabyan Re-arrested | Ep #152 - Aug 7, 2022 [EP152]
Posted on Tuesday, Aug 9, 2022 | Category: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Russia, Turkey, Ukraine, Human Rights, Nagorno Karabakh, Economy, NATO | Series: wir
Guest(s):
ANN/Groong Week in Review - August 7, 2022
Topics:
- Azerbaijan Attacks Artsakh Again
- Armenian & Artsakh Authorities Evacuating Berdzor & Aghavno Population
- Avetik Chalabyan Re-arrested
Guests:
- Dr. Benyamin Poghosyan - TW/@Benyamin_Poghos
Host:
- Hovik Manucharyan TW/@HovikYerevan
- Asbed Bedrossian TW/@qubriq
Episode 152 | Recorded: Monday, August 8, 2022 Website: https://groong.org/podcasts/WiR-20220807.html
Azerbaijan Attacks | Evacuating Berdzor & Aghavno | Chalabyan Re-arrested | Ep #152 - Aug 7, 2022 [EP152]
Posted on Tuesday, Aug 9, 2022 | Category: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Russia, Turkey, Ukraine, Human Rights, Nagorno Karabakh, Economy, NATOGuest(s):
ANN/Groong Week in Review - August 7, 2022
Topics:
- Azerbaijan Attacks Artsakh Again
- Armenian & Artsakh Authorities Evacuating Berdzor & Aghavno Population
- Avetik Chalabyan Re-arrested
Guests:
- Dr. Benyamin Poghosyan - TW/@Benyamin_Poghos
Host:
- Hovik Manucharyan TW/@HovikYerevan
- Asbed Bedrossian TW/@qubriq
Episode 152 | Recorded: Monday, August 8, 2022 Website: https://groong.org/podcasts/WiR-20220807.html