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.
Below are all Groong episodes tagged with Armenia.
ANN/Groong Week in Review - March 6, 2022
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Episode 126 | Recorded: Sunday, March 6, 2022 Website: https://groong.org/podcasts/WiR-20220306.html
ANN/Groong Week in Review - March 6, 2022
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Episode 126 | Recorded: Sunday, March 6, 2022 Website: https://groong.org/podcasts/WiR-20220306.html
ANN/Groong Week in Review - February 27, 2022
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Episode 125 | Recorded: Sunday, February 27, 2022 Website: https://groong.org/podcasts/WiR-20220227.html
ANN/Groong Week in Review - February 27, 2022
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Episode 125 | Recorded: Sunday, February 27, 2022 Website: https://groong.org/podcasts/WiR-20220227.html
Armeniaâs Regional Challenges - February 26, 2022 A Conversation with Tatev Hayrapetyan
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Armeniaâs Regional Challenges - February 26, 2022 A Conversation with Tatev Hayrapetyan
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Roundup on the Ukraine Crisis - February 22, 2022
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Episode 123 | Recorded on Friday, February 22, 2022 Show notes: https://groong.org/podcasts/CoG-20220222.html
Roundup on the Ukraine Crisis - February 22, 2022
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Episode 123 | Recorded on Friday, February 22, 2022 Show notes: https://groong.org/podcasts/CoG-20220222.html
2021-Õ« «ÕÕ¸ÖÕ·Õ«Õ« ÕÕ¼Õ¹Õ¡Õ¯Õ¡Õ£Õ«Öը» - The 2021 âShushi Declarationâ by Azerbaijan and Turkey
A Conversation in Armenian with Mihran Hakobyan (in Armenian)
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2021-Õ« «ÕÕ¸ÖÕ·Õ«Õ« ÕÕ¼Õ¹Õ¡Õ¯Õ¡Õ£Õ«Öը» - The 2021 âShushi Declarationâ by Azerbaijan and Turkey
A Conversation in Armenian with Mihran Hakobyan (in Armenian)
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ANN/Groong Week in Review - February 20, 2022
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Episode 121 | Recorded: Sunday, February 20, 2022 Website: https://groong.org/podcasts/WiR-20220220.html
ANN/Groong Week in Review - February 20, 2022
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Episode 121 | Recorded: Sunday, February 20, 2022 Website: https://groong.org/podcasts/WiR-20220220.html
Political Topics with Edmon Marukyan - February 18, 2022
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Political Topics with Edmon Marukyan - February 18, 2022
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ANN/Groong Week in Review - February 13, 2022
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Episode 119 | Recorded: Sunday, February 14, 2022 Website: https://groong.org/podcasts/WiR-20220213.html
ANN/Groong Week in Review - February 13, 2022
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Episode 119 | Recorded: Sunday, February 14, 2022 Website: https://groong.org/podcasts/WiR-20220213.html
ANN/Groong Week in Review - February 6, 2022
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Episode 118 | Recorded: Sunday, February 8, 2022 Website: https://groong.org/podcasts/WiR-20220206.html
ANN/Groong Week in Review - February 6, 2022
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Episode 118 | Recorded: Sunday, February 8, 2022 Website: https://groong.org/podcasts/WiR-20220206.html
Legal & Human Rights Developments in Armenia A Conversation with Ruben Melikyan
Ruben Melikyan was formerly Artsakhâs Human Rights Ombudsman, and prior to that he was rector of the Justice Academy of Armenia. In 2019, Melikyan co-founded and currently leads the âPath of Lawâ NGO. Ô»ÖÕ¡Õ¾Õ¡Õ¯Õ¡Õ¶ Õ¸ÖÕ²Õ« in Armenian.
Legal & Human Rights Developments in Armenia A Conversation with Ruben Melikyan
Ruben Melikyan was formerly Artsakhâs Human Rights Ombudsman, and prior to that he was rector of the Justice Academy of Armenia. In 2019, Melikyan co-founded and currently leads the âPath of Lawâ NGO. Ô»ÖÕ¡Õ¾Õ¡Õ¯Õ¡Õ¶ Õ¸ÖÕ²Õ« in Armenian.
ANN/Groong Week in Review - January 30, 2022
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Episode 116 | Recorded: Sunday, January 30, 2022 Website: https://groong.org/podcasts/WiR-20220130.html
ANN/Groong Week in Review - January 30, 2022
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Episode 116 | Recorded: Sunday, January 30, 2022 Website: https://groong.org/podcasts/WiR-20220130.html
Armenian Songs for Children Bedros Afeyan talks with Isabel Bayrakdarian
Song Excerpts list & timestamps: (Note: All excerpts used with permission)
Armenian Songs for Children Bedros Afeyan talks with Isabel Bayrakdarian
Song Excerpts list & timestamps: (Note: All excerpts used with permission)
ANN/Groong Week in Review - January 23, 2022
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Episode 114 | Recorded: Sunday, January 25, 2022
ANN/Groong Week in Review - January 23, 2022
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Episode 114 | Recorded: Sunday, January 25, 2022
ANN/Groong Week in Review - January 16, 2022
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Episode 113 | Recorded: Sunday, January 17, 2022 Website: https://groong.org/podcasts/WiR-20220116.html
ANN/Groong Week in Review - January 16, 2022
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Episode 113 | Recorded: Sunday, January 17, 2022 Website: https://groong.org/podcasts/WiR-20220116.html
ANN/Groong Week in Review - January 9, 2022
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Episode 112 | Recorded: Sunday, January 9, 2022 Website: https://groong.org/podcasts/WiR-20220109.html
ANN/Groong Week in Review - January 9, 2022
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Episode 112 | Recorded: Sunday, January 9, 2022 Website: https://groong.org/podcasts/WiR-20220109.html
Turkish-Armenian Normalization Negotiations A Conversation with Harut Sassounian
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Turkish-Armenian Normalization Negotiations A Conversation with Harut Sassounian
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ANN/Groong Week in Review - December 26, 2021
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Episode 110 | Recorded: Sunday, December 27, 2021
ANN/Groong Week in Review - December 26, 2021
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Episode 110 | Recorded: Sunday, December 27, 2021
Thirty Years After the USSR
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Thirty Years After the USSR
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ANN/Groong Week in Review - December 19, 2021
Episode 108 | Recorded: December 20, 2021
ANN/Groong Week in Review - December 19, 2021
Episode 108 | Recorded: December 20, 2021
Anar Valiyev and Benyamin Poghosyan discuss stumbling blocks in post-war negotiations
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Anar Valiyev and Benyamin Poghosyan discuss stumbling blocks in post-war negotiations
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ANN/Groong Week in Review - December 12, 2021
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Episode 106 | Recorded: Sunday, December 12, 2021
ANN/Groong Week in Review - December 12, 2021
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Episode 106 | Recorded: Sunday, December 12, 2021
ANN/Groong Week in Review - December 5, 2021
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Episode 105 | Recorded: Sunday, December 5, 2021 Website: https://groong.org/podcasts/WiR-20211205.html
ANN/Groong Week in Review - December 5, 2021
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Episode 105 | Recorded: Sunday, December 5, 2021 Website: https://groong.org/podcasts/WiR-20211205.html
ANN/Groong Week in Review - November 28, 2021
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Episode 104 | Recorded: Sunday, November 28, 2021 Website: https://groong.org/podcasts/WiR-20211128.html
ANN/Groong Week in Review - November 28, 2021
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Episode 104 | Recorded: Sunday, November 28, 2021 Website: https://groong.org/podcasts/WiR-20211128.html
ANN/Groong Week in Review - November 21, 2021
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Episode 103 | Recorded: Monday, November 22, 2021 Show notes: https://groong.org/podcasts/WiR-20211121.html
ANN/Groong Week in Review - November 21, 2021
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Guest: Pietro Shakarian
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Episode 103 | Recorded: Monday, November 22, 2021 Show notes: https://groong.org/podcasts/WiR-20211121.html
ANN/Groong Week in Review - November 7, 2021
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Episode 101 | Recorded: Monday, November 16, 2021 Website: https://groong.org/podcasts/WiR-20211114.html
ANN/Groong Week in Review - November 7, 2021
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Episode 101 | Recorded: Monday, November 16, 2021 Website: https://groong.org/podcasts/WiR-20211114.html
Talking with Alison Tahmizian Meuse - TW/@AliTahmizian - November 17, 2021
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Talking with Alison Tahmizian Meuse - TW/@AliTahmizian - November 17, 2021
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ANN/Groong Week in Review - November 7, 2021
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Episode 99 | Recorded: Monday, November 8, 2021 Website: https://groong.org/podcasts/WiR-20211107.html
ANN/Groong Week in Review - November 7, 2021
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Episode 99 | Recorded: Monday, November 8, 2021 Website: https://groong.org/podcasts/WiR-20211107.html
The State of Affairs in Lebanon A Conversation with Dr. Ohannes Geukjian and Vera Yacoubian
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Episode 98: Recorded on Saturday, November 6, 2021 Show notes: https://groong.org/podcasts/CoG-20211108.html
The State of Affairs in Lebanon A Conversation with Dr. Ohannes Geukjian and Vera Yacoubian
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Episode 98: Recorded on Saturday, November 6, 2021 Show notes: https://groong.org/podcasts/CoG-20211108.html
Save Armenian Monuments A Conversation with Virginia Davies and Heghnar Watenpaugh
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Episode 97 |
Read MoreSave Armenian Monuments A Conversation with Virginia Davies and Heghnar Watenpaugh
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Episode 97 |
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