Armenia
Last updated: June 10, 2026
Armenia is a landlocked nation in the South Caucasus region of Western Asia, bordered by Georgia, Azerbaijan, Iran, and Turkey. With a population of approximately 3 million, Armenia is one of the world’s oldest Christian civilizations, having adopted Christianity as its state religion in 301 CE—the first country to do so. The capital and largest city is Yerevan, located in the central part of the country. Armenia’s geography is characterized by the Armenian Highlands, a mountainous region with an average elevation exceeding 1,600 meters. The country is known for its rich cultural heritage, including ancient churches, monasteries, and archaeological sites. Armenia is a member of numerous international organizations including the United Nations, World Trade Organization, and the Eurasian Economic Union.
In the context of Groong’s coverage, Armenia is a landlocked South Caucasus republic facing an acute strategic and political crisis. Since the 2020 44-Day War , the country has lost control of Artsakh (Nagorno Karabakh) and hundreds of square kilometers of territory to Azerbaijan, undergone the complete ethnic cleansing of more than 150,000 Armenian inhabitants from Artsakh, and seen its borders redrawn under duress. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and his Civil Contract party have governed through this catastrophe while pursuing what opponents describe as a capitulation strategy: signing ceasefire agreements, negotiating territorial concessions, and attempting to normalize relations with Turkey despite no reciprocal gesture. The government frames this course as realism and peace-building; critics argue it surrenders Armenian sovereignty without securing the rights or security of displaced Artsakhtsis. Armenia’s relationship with its traditional security guarantor Russia has deteriorated sharply, while its pivot toward the European Union and United States remains hesitant and incomplete, leaving the country in a precarious middle position between Moscow and the West.
Domestic politics in Armenia since 2021 have been dominated by the opposition’s demand for Pashinyan’s resignation and accountability for the war’s loss. The Established Opposition parties—Strong Armenia , Armenia Alliance (Hayastan Dashinq) , Prosperous Armenia , and the Republican Party of Armenia —have held street protests, mounted electoral challenges, and attempted to build coalitions for the June 7, 2026 parliamentary elections. Civil Contract’s supermajority in parliament has allowed it to pass constitutional amendments, strip opposition figures of immunity, and advance its agenda despite sustained criticism over corruption, misuse of administrative resources, and alleged election irregularities. The government has also escalated confrontation with the Armenian Church , arresting clergy, seizing church property, and pressuring the Catholicos , actions that have alarmed international observers and divided public opinion. Simultaneously, Pashinyan has consolidated control over state institutions, including the judiciary and security services, raising concerns about democratic backsliding and rule of law.
Armenia’s economy remains fragile. Growth statistics mask structural weaknesses: the country is heavily dependent on remittances and Russian trade, faces declining foreign investment, carries rising national debt, and has seen its ties to Iran—a key trade and energy partner—complicated by U.S. pressure over TRIPP, the so-called Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity . The project aims to open transport corridors through Armenian territory in Syunik province, a move that would connect Azerbaijan to Turkey via Armenian land and raise questions about Armenian sovereignty over the route and control of its security. Russia has shifted from enthusiastic support of the corridor to public ambivalence, while Iran has issued explicit warnings that it will not accept any arrangement that bypasses or threatens its interests. The competing pressures from Washington, Moscow, Tehran, and Baku leave Armenia’s leadership navigating impossible choices between security guarantees that do not yet exist and economic partnerships that require territorial and strategic concessions it is reluctant to make permanent. The 2026 election will determine whether Armenian voters remain committed to Pashinyan’s course or whether opposition forces can forge a unified alternative around themes of security, sovereignty, and the rights of displaced Artsakhtsis to return home.
Groong episodes that include this tag
Below are all Groong episodes tagged with Armenia.
Meltdown at the MFA | Philip Reeker Visit | 15 POWs Return | Latest Polls | (Ep #70) - June 13, 2021 [EP70]
Posted on Wednesday, Jun 16, 2021 | Category: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Russia, Turkey, Artsakh, Iran, Ukraine, China, Economy, Nagorno Karabakh, European Union, NATO
ANN/Groong Week in Review - June 13, 2021 Topics:
- Meltdown at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
- Philip Reekerâs Visit to the Region
- 15 POWs Return Home
- Latest Election Poll Results
Guests:
- Asbed Kotchikian
- Tevan Poghosyan
Guest(s):
Hosts:
- Hovik Manucharyan
- Asbed Bedrossian
Episode 70 | Recorded: June 13, 2021 https://groong.org/podcasts/WiR-20210613.html
Unblocking The South Caucasus, Facts & 'Alternative Facts' | Ep 83 - Aug 1, 2021 (Recorded 6/14/21) [EP83]
Posted on Monday, Jun 14, 2021 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Azerbaijan, Turkey, Artsakh, Nagorno Karabakh, Georgia, Iran, Russia, Artsakh Blockade, Armenian Genocide, Economy, Genocide, Israel, NATO | Series: cog
Guests:
Topic:
- This Conversations on Groong episode is our first Live Show on Clubhouse and hopefully it will be an informative, as well as an enjoyable discussion for all. We will be talking about the politics of opening the paths of communication, lifting blockades, and the rumors, facts, and fallacies around so-called âcorridorsâ through each otherâs countries.
Episode 83 | Recorded: June 14, 2021
Unblocking The South Caucasus, Facts & 'Alternative Facts' | Ep 83 - Aug 1, 2021 (Recorded 6/14/21) [EP83]
Posted on Monday, Jun 14, 2021 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Azerbaijan, Turkey, Artsakh, Nagorno Karabakh, Georgia, Iran, Russia, Artsakh Blockade, Armenian Genocide, Economy, Genocide, Israel, NATOGuests:
Topic:
- This Conversations on Groong episode is our first Live Show on Clubhouse and hopefully it will be an informative, as well as an enjoyable discussion for all. We will be talking about the politics of opening the paths of communication, lifting blockades, and the rumors, facts, and fallacies around so-called âcorridorsâ through each otherâs countries.
Episode 83 | Recorded: June 14, 2021
ARF-Dashnaktsutyun: Roadmap & Challenges - Conversation with Giro Manoyan | (Ep #69) - June 11, 2021 [EP69]
Posted on Friday, Jun 11, 2021 | Category: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Artsakh, Russia, Turkey, Armenian Church, Economy, Iran, Lebanon, Middle East, Nagorno Karabakh, NATO | Series: cog
ARF-Dashnaktsutyun: Roadmap and Challenges
Guest
- Giro Manoyan has been a member of the ARF-D Bureau since 2015. Originally from Beirut, Lebanon, he moved to Montreal, Canada in 1976. He has served as the Executive Secretary of the Armenian National Committee of Canada, as well as the Editor in Chief of the Horizon Armenian Weekly. In 1999 he moved to Yerevan and has served as the Executive Director of the Bureau of the ARF-D, in charge of the Armenian Cause, Hai Tahd Central Committee.
Topics
- The ARF in the Politics of Armenia
- On the War in 2020
- On the Upcoming Elections in 2021
- On the
ARF-Dashnaktsutyun: Roadmap & Challenges - Conversation with Giro Manoyan | (Ep #69) - June 11, 2021 [EP69]
Posted on Friday, Jun 11, 2021 | Category: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Artsakh, Russia, Turkey, Armenian Church, Economy, Iran, Lebanon, Middle East, Nagorno Karabakh, NATOARF-Dashnaktsutyun: Roadmap and Challenges
Guest
- Giro Manoyan has been a member of the ARF-D Bureau since 2015. Originally from Beirut, Lebanon, he moved to Montreal, Canada in 1976. He has served as the Executive Secretary of the Armenian National Committee of Canada, as well as the Editor in Chief of the Horizon Armenian Weekly. In 1999 he moved to Yerevan and has served as the Executive Director of the Bureau of the ARF-D, in charge of the Armenian Cause, Hai Tahd Central Committee.
Topics
- The ARF in the Politics of Armenia
- On the War in 2020
- On the Upcoming Elections in 2021
- On the
Armenia, Superpowers and The New Cold War | (Ep #68) - June 8, 2021 [EP68]
Posted on Tuesday, Jun 8, 2021 | Category: Russia, Armenia, Georgia, Turkey, China, Ukraine, Economy, Azerbaijan, India, Iran, Artsakh, Genocide, Middle East, Syria, Nagorno Karabakh, NATO | Series: cog
Armenia, Superpowers and The New Cold War
A Conversation with:
Guest:
- Dr. Pietro Shakarian, who is a Cleveland-based historian of Russia and the Soviet Union, with a focus on Soviet Armenia and the Caucasus during the era of Nikita Khrushchevâs Thaw.
Topics
- Democracy-building in the Post Soviet Space
- NATO and expansion
- Russia in the Caucasus
- China and the New Silk Road through Iran and Georgia
Guest(s):
Hosts:
- Hovik Manucharyan
- Asbed Bedrossian
Episode 68 | Recorded: June 4, 2021 Website: https://groong.org/podcasts/CoG-20210608.html
Armenia, Superpowers and The New Cold War | (Ep #68) - June 8, 2021 [EP68]
Posted on Tuesday, Jun 8, 2021 | Category: Russia, Armenia, Georgia, Turkey, China, Ukraine, Economy, Azerbaijan, India, Iran, Artsakh, Genocide, Middle East, Syria, Nagorno Karabakh, NATOArmenia, Superpowers and The New Cold War
A Conversation with:
Guest:
- Dr. Pietro Shakarian, who is a Cleveland-based historian of Russia and the Soviet Union, with a focus on Soviet Armenia and the Caucasus during the era of Nikita Khrushchevâs Thaw.
Topics
- Democracy-building in the Post Soviet Space
- NATO and expansion
- Russia in the Caucasus
- China and the New Silk Road through Iran and Georgia
Guest(s):
Hosts:
- Hovik Manucharyan
- Asbed Bedrossian
Episode 68 | Recorded: June 4, 2021 Website: https://groong.org/podcasts/CoG-20210608.html
Iran: Foreign Relations, Upcoming Elections (Ep. 67) - 06/07/2021 [EP67]
Posted on Monday, Jun 7, 2021 | Category: Iran, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Russia, China, Israel, Middle East, Syria, Artsakh, Georgia, Turkey, Nagorno Karabakh | Series: cog
Guest(s):
Iran: Foreign Relations and Upcoming Elections A Conversation with Robert Markarian
The South Caucasus comprises Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia. The three regional powers surrounding them are Russia to the north, Turkey to the west, and Iran in the south.
Iran has been largely quiet about events on its northern border with Armenia and Azerbaijan, due largely to its marginalization on the world stage because of the Western economic sanctions but also because Iran is home to millions of ethnic Azeris and any perceived support for Armenia could result in additional
Read MoreIran: Foreign Relations, Upcoming Elections (Ep. 67) - 06/07/2021 [EP67]
Posted on Monday, Jun 7, 2021 | Category: Iran, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Russia, China, Israel, Middle East, Syria, Artsakh, Georgia, Turkey, Nagorno KarabakhGuest(s):
Iran: Foreign Relations and Upcoming Elections A Conversation with Robert Markarian
The South Caucasus comprises Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia. The three regional powers surrounding them are Russia to the north, Turkey to the west, and Iran in the south.
Iran has been largely quiet about events on its northern border with Armenia and Azerbaijan, due largely to its marginalization on the world stage because of the Western economic sanctions but also because Iran is home to millions of ethnic Azeris and any perceived support for Armenia could result in additional
Read More