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.
Conversation with Bright Armenia’s Edmon Marukyan
Following the trilateral Karabakh ceasefire of Nov 9, all major political forces in Armenia (except for the ruling party) condemned Nikol Pashinyanâs agreement to the deal. While the dissatisfaction with the agreement is widespread, the opposition is not entirely unified on what to do next.
Weâll talk with the leader of one of the 2 parliamentary opposition factions, Bright Armenia about his, and his partyâs vision and subsequent actions to be taken by Armenia.
What is Bright Armeniaâs vision for post
Read MoreConversation with Bright Armenia’s Edmon Marukyan
Following the trilateral Karabakh ceasefire of Nov 9, all major political forces in Armenia (except for the ruling party) condemned Nikol Pashinyanâs agreement to the deal. While the dissatisfaction with the agreement is widespread, the opposition is not entirely unified on what to do next.
Weâll talk with the leader of one of the 2 parliamentary opposition factions, Bright Armenia about his, and his partyâs vision and subsequent actions to be taken by Armenia.
What is Bright Armeniaâs vision for post
Read MoreANN/Groong Week in Review Episode 35 - Dec 20, 2020
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Website: https://groong.org/podcasts/WiR-20201220.html Recorded: Dec 20, 2020
ANN/Groong Week in Review Episode 35 - Dec 20, 2020
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Website: https://groong.org/podcasts/WiR-20201220.html Recorded: Dec 20, 2020
Conversation with ARF’s Arthur Khachatryan
Following the trilateral Karabakh ceasefire of Nov 9, the Armenian opposition has nearly universally condemned Nikol Pashinyanâs agreement to the deal. The largest opposition grouping, called Movement of the Salvation of the Homeland (ÕÕ¡ÕµÖÕ¥Õ¶Õ«ÖÕ« ÖÖÕ¯Õ¸ÖÕ©ÕµÕ¡Õ¶ Õ·Õ¡ÕªÕ¸ÖÕ´ in Armenian), composed of 17 political parties including the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF), Prosperous Armenia, and the Republican Party, are demanding Pashinyanâs immediate resignation and the appointment of their
Read MoreConversation with ARF’s Arthur Khachatryan
Following the trilateral Karabakh ceasefire of Nov 9, the Armenian opposition has nearly universally condemned Nikol Pashinyanâs agreement to the deal. The largest opposition grouping, called Movement of the Salvation of the Homeland (ÕÕ¡ÕµÖÕ¥Õ¶Õ«ÖÕ« ÖÖÕ¯Õ¸ÖÕ©ÕµÕ¡Õ¶ Õ·Õ¡ÕªÕ¸ÖÕ´ in Armenian), composed of 17 political parties including the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF), Prosperous Armenia, and the Republican Party, are demanding Pashinyanâs immediate resignation and the appointment of their
Read MoreANN/Groong Week in Review Episode 33 - Dec 13, 2020
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Recorded: Dec 13, 2020
ANN/Groong Week in Review Episode 33 - Dec 13, 2020
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Recorded: Dec 13, 2020
The Role of The Humanities and Social Studies in Armenian Life - 12/13/2020
Conversations on Groong
Academia and academic work, especially in the fields of humanities and social sciences, has always been instrumentalized by various ideologies and/or political regimes. Moreover, various disciplines within each of those fields such as anthropology, art history, literature, etc., have a long tradition of being the middle children of academia and are rarely considered to have a role in shaping minds and trends in society. In Armenia the roles of
Read MoreThe Role of The Humanities and Social Studies in Armenian Life - 12/13/2020
Conversations on Groong
Academia and academic work, especially in the fields of humanities and social sciences, has always been instrumentalized by various ideologies and/or political regimes. Moreover, various disciplines within each of those fields such as anthropology, art history, literature, etc., have a long tradition of being the middle children of academia and are rarely considered to have a role in shaping minds and trends in society. In Armenia the roles of
Read MoreOn November 9, Armenia, Azerbaijan and Russia signed The Statement ending the war in Artsakh, known more commonly as Nagorno-Karabakh. Russia emerged as a major winner, by ending the violence, introducing peacekeepers, and upholding its historical role as the regional referee in the Caucasus. What are Russiaâs interests in the region, and in this agreement?
Pietro Shakarian helps us explore. He is a historian and a Ph.D. candidate in Russian History at the Ohio State University. His analyses on Russia, Armenia, and the post-Soviet space have appeared in several publications, including The
Read MoreOn November 9, Armenia, Azerbaijan and Russia signed The Statement ending the war in Artsakh, known more commonly as Nagorno-Karabakh. Russia emerged as a major winner, by ending the violence, introducing peacekeepers, and upholding its historical role as the regional referee in the Caucasus. What are Russiaâs interests in the region, and in this agreement?
Pietro Shakarian helps us explore. He is a historian and a Ph.D. candidate in Russian History at the Ohio State University. His analyses on Russia, Armenia, and the post-Soviet space have appeared in several publications, including The
Read MoreANN/Groong Week in Review - Dec 6, 2020
Episode 30 | Recorded: Dec 6, 2020
ANN/Groong Week in Review - Dec 6, 2020
Episode 30 | Recorded: Dec 6, 2020
ANN/Groong Week in Review Episode 29 - Nov 29, 2020
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Recorded: Nov 29, 2020
ANN/Groong Week in Review Episode 29 - Nov 29, 2020
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Recorded: Nov 29, 2020
Episode 28 | Recorded on December 3, 2020
Episode 28 | Recorded on December 3, 2020
ANN/Groong Week in Review Episode 27 - Nov 15, 2020
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Recorded: Nov 15, 2020
ANN/Groong Week in Review Episode 27 - Nov 15, 2020
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Recorded: Nov 15, 2020
ANN/Groong Week in Review Episode 26 - Nov 8, 2020
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Recorded: Nov 7, 2020
ANN/Groong Week in Review Episode 26 - Nov 8, 2020
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Recorded: Nov 7, 2020
ANN/Groong Week in Review Episode 25 - Nov 1, 2020
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Recorded: Oct 30, 2020
ANN/Groong Week in Review Episode 25 - Nov 1, 2020
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Recorded: Oct 30, 2020
Conversations on Groong: Artsakh in the Arab Media - Oct 28, 2020
Since September 27, Azerbaijan has been waging an all out war on Artsakh, cluster-bombing towns and villages and killing civilians and destroying churches and cultural centers, with the aim to destroy and depopulate the region. The worldwide Armenian Diaspora has come together to fight this existential threat.
Weâve read much about the Diasporaâs activities around most of the world, but what about the Arab world? This episode explores some of the challenges and opportunities that
Read MoreConversations on Groong: Artsakh in the Arab Media - Oct 28, 2020
Since September 27, Azerbaijan has been waging an all out war on Artsakh, cluster-bombing towns and villages and killing civilians and destroying churches and cultural centers, with the aim to destroy and depopulate the region. The worldwide Armenian Diaspora has come together to fight this existential threat.
Weâve read much about the Diasporaâs activities around most of the world, but what about the Arab world? This episode explores some of the challenges and opportunities that
Read MoreANN/Groong Week in Review - 10/25/2020
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Website: https://groong.org/podcasts/WiR-20201025.html Episode 23 | Recorded on October 25, 2020
ANN/Groong Week in Review - 10/25/2020
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Website: https://groong.org/podcasts/WiR-20201025.html Episode 23 | Recorded on October 25, 2020
ANN/Groong Week in Review - October 18, 2020
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Episode 22. Recorded: October18, 2020 Playlist: WiR (Week in Review)
ANN/Groong Week in Review - October 18, 2020
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Episode 22. Recorded: October18, 2020 Playlist: WiR (Week in Review)
ANN/Groong Week in Review - October 12, 2020
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Episode 21 Recorded: Oct 12, 2020 Full details: https://groong.org/podcasts/WiR-20201012.html Playlist: WiR (Week in Review)
ANN/Groong Week in Review - October 12, 2020
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Episode 21 Recorded: Oct 12, 2020 Full details: https://groong.org/podcasts/WiR-20201012.html Playlist: WiR (Week in Review)
ANN/Groong Week in Review - October 4, 2020
Episode 20 | Recorded: Oct 3, 2020
ANN/Groong Week in Review - October 4, 2020
Episode 20 | Recorded: Oct 3, 2020
Conversations on Groong - October 3, 2020
It has now been 7 days since Azerbaijan initiated a wide-scale attack against Armenia and Artsakh. The tragic news of deaths and destruction continue to stream in every hour.
In todayâs conversation on Groong, we talk to Jirair Libaridian and Thomas DeWaal about the regional geopolitics that helped create a ripe environment for renewed fighting and various potential scenarios that may develop as a result of it.
Questions explored:
Conversations on Groong - October 3, 2020
It has now been 7 days since Azerbaijan initiated a wide-scale attack against Armenia and Artsakh. The tragic news of deaths and destruction continue to stream in every hour.
In todayâs conversation on Groong, we talk to Jirair Libaridian and Thomas DeWaal about the regional geopolitics that helped create a ripe environment for renewed fighting and various potential scenarios that may develop as a result of it.
Questions explored:
ANN/Groong Week in Review - (Ep #18) - 09/27/2020
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Website: https://groong.org/podcasts/WiR-20200927.html Episode 18 | Recorded on September 26, 2020
ANN/Groong Week in Review - (Ep #18) - 09/27/2020
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Website: https://groong.org/podcasts/WiR-20200927.html Episode 18 | Recorded on September 26, 2020
CoG: “Velvet Revolution” Two Years On - Part 1 | Ep 17 - Sep 25, 2020
It’s been two and a half years since the dramatic popular protests of 2018 that resulted in the resignation of Serge Sargsyan and the subsequent election of Nikol Pashinyan as Prime Minister in Armenia. The change in power, which is commonly referred to as “The Velvet Revolution”, gave many the hope of a more democratic Armenia. Many promises were made in 2018, and mid-way through this administration many of us want to know how the Armenian government is delivering on those promises.
In this
Read MoreCoG: “Velvet Revolution” Two Years On - Part 1 | Ep 17 - Sep 25, 2020
It’s been two and a half years since the dramatic popular protests of 2018 that resulted in the resignation of Serge Sargsyan and the subsequent election of Nikol Pashinyan as Prime Minister in Armenia. The change in power, which is commonly referred to as “The Velvet Revolution”, gave many the hope of a more democratic Armenia. Many promises were made in 2018, and mid-way through this administration many of us want to know how the Armenian government is delivering on those promises.
In this
Read MoreANN/Groong Week in Review - 09/20/2020
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ANN/Groong Week in Review - 09/20/2020
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Armenian News Network/Groong: Telecommunications Security in Armenia - Sep 15, 2020)
Conversations on Groong
Background and formulation of the telecoms market in Armenia
Telecommunications market in Armenia started with the monopoly of the incumbent operator ArmenTel owned jointly by Greek state owned company OTE (90%) and Armenian government (10%). The sale-purchase agreement granted ArmenTel (recently rebranded to VEON) exclusive rights to provide basic telecommunications services including international Internet connectivity, mobile and fixed telephony. ArmenTelâs monopoly remained till
Read MoreArmenian News Network/Groong: Telecommunications Security in Armenia - Sep 15, 2020)
Conversations on Groong
Background and formulation of the telecoms market in Armenia
Telecommunications market in Armenia started with the monopoly of the incumbent operator ArmenTel owned jointly by Greek state owned company OTE (90%) and Armenian government (10%). The sale-purchase agreement granted ArmenTel (recently rebranded to VEON) exclusive rights to provide basic telecommunications services including international Internet connectivity, mobile and fixed telephony. ArmenTelâs monopoly remained till
Read MoreANN/Groong Week in Review - 09/13/2020
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Read MoreANN/Groong Week in Review - 09/13/2020
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Read MoreANN/Groong Week in Review - 09/06/2020
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Website: https://groong.org/podcasts/WiR-20200906.html Episode 13 | Recorded on September 6, 2020
ANN/Groong Week in Review - 09/06/2020
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Website: https://groong.org/podcasts/WiR-20200906.html Episode 13 | Recorded on September 6, 2020
Judicial Reforms, Data Protection and Privacy - 09/05/2020
Conversations on Groong
Armenia has European grade laws in the areas of finance, business, data protection and privacy. What is preventing Armenia from achieving its full potential in foreign direct investment (FDI)? Why do many Armenian startups incorporate in foreign countries, and use Armenia as their offshore labor resource?
Our Guest is David Sandukhchyan is a lawyer with 20 years of experience in telecommunications, cyber law, media and personal data protection. He started his legal career as an Internet freedom advocate and
Read MoreJudicial Reforms, Data Protection and Privacy - 09/05/2020
Conversations on Groong
Armenia has European grade laws in the areas of finance, business, data protection and privacy. What is preventing Armenia from achieving its full potential in foreign direct investment (FDI)? Why do many Armenian startups incorporate in foreign countries, and use Armenia as their offshore labor resource?
Our Guest is David Sandukhchyan is a lawyer with 20 years of experience in telecommunications, cyber law, media and personal data protection. He started his legal career as an Internet freedom advocate and
Read MoreANN/Groong Week in Review - 08/30/2020
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Website: https://groong.org/podcasts/WiR-20200830.html Episode 11 | Recorded on August 30 2020
ANN/Groong Week in Review - 08/30/2020
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Website: https://groong.org/podcasts/WiR-20200830.html Episode 11 | Recorded on August 30 2020
Education Reform in Armenia - 08/10/2020 Conversations on Groong Asbed Kotchikian talks with Ara Sanjian & Siranush Dvoyan
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Background of education reform(s) in Armenia In depth analysis of the content, standards & measurable outcomes of the proposed curriculumâs history & literature segments. Challenges of implementing the proposed curriculum
In recent months, Armeniaâs government has published its proposal for K-12 curriculum reform in Armenian schools. The new curriculum, which includes education standards and learning
Read MoreEducation Reform in Armenia - 08/10/2020 Conversations on Groong Asbed Kotchikian talks with Ara Sanjian & Siranush Dvoyan
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Background of education reform(s) in Armenia In depth analysis of the content, standards & measurable outcomes of the proposed curriculumâs history & literature segments. Challenges of implementing the proposed curriculum
In recent months, Armeniaâs government has published its proposal for K-12 curriculum reform in Armenian schools. The new curriculum, which includes education standards and learning
Read MoreEpisode 10 | Recorded: August 2020
Episode 10 | Recorded: August 2020
Episode 9 | Recorded: August 2020
Episode 9 | Recorded: August 2020
ANN/Groong Week in Review - 08/16/2020
This Week in Review we talk with Hrant Mikaelian to discuss important issues and developments around Armenia, such as the Coronavirus Pandemic, and its economic effect; Armenia’s membership in EurAsian Economic Union and the economic effect of that organization on Armenia; and some of the trends affecting Russia and its economy.
Hrant will then join us in our weekly lightning round of questions from the past weekâs headlines, to analyze Prime Minister Pashinyanâs
Read MoreANN/Groong Week in Review - 08/16/2020
This Week in Review we talk with Hrant Mikaelian to discuss important issues and developments around Armenia, such as the Coronavirus Pandemic, and its economic effect; Armenia’s membership in EurAsian Economic Union and the economic effect of that organization on Armenia; and some of the trends affecting Russia and its economy.
Hrant will then join us in our weekly lightning round of questions from the past weekâs headlines, to analyze Prime Minister Pashinyanâs
Read More