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.
Episode 450 | Recorded: June 26, 2025
Episode 450 | Recorded: June 26, 2025
The 12-Day War. Where did Trump’s American 1st Go?
Episode 449 | Recorded: June 25, 2025
Episode 449 | Recorded: June 25, 2025
Episode 448 | Recorded: June 21, 2025
Episode 448 | Recorded: June 21, 2025
Episode 447 | Recorded: June 15, 2025
Episode 447 | Recorded: June 15, 2025
In this episode of Conversations on Groong, we speak with Fyodor Lukyanov, editor-in-chief of Russia in Global Affairs, to analyze the geopolitical fallout from Israel’s surprise military campaign against Iran, known as Operation Rising Lion. We explore how the attacks may sabotage U.S.-Iran nuclear negotiations, shift Russia’s strategic calculus, and destabilize the South Caucasus—particularly Armenia’s Syunik province. We also examine the implications for Russia-Iran relations, the Zangezur corridor, and Azerbaijan’s military posture. Finally, we discuss Ukraine’s Operation Spiderweb, recent Read More
Episode 446 | Recorded: June 12, 2025
Episode 446 | Recorded: June 12, 2025
In this episode of Groong: Spotlight on Silence, we speak with Rafael Ishkhanyan of the Armenian Center for Political Rights about Armenia’s sweeping new surveillance law. Passed quietly in March 2025, the law grants police 24/7 access to camera networks across public institutions and allows for real-time facial recognition, raising deep concerns about privacy, political targeting, and unchecked state power. We explore what the law says, what it leaves out, and why international silence—despite clear risks to civil liberties—has been so striking.
Episode 445 | Recorded: June 9, 2025
Episode 445 | Recorded: June 9, 2025
Episode 444 | Recorded: June 9, 2025
Episode 444 | Recorded: June 9, 2025
Episode 443 | Recorded: June 3, 2025
Episode 443 | Recorded: June 3, 2025
Episode 442 | Recorded: June 2, 2025
Episode 442 | Recorded: June 2, 2025
Episode 441 | Recorded: May 28, 2025
Episode 441 | Recorded: May 28, 2025
INTERVIEW IN ARMENIAN / ՀԱՐՑԱԶՐՈՒՅՑ ՀԱՅԵՐԵՆ
Episode 440 | Recorded: March 9, 2025
Read MoreINTERVIEW IN ARMENIAN / ՀԱՐՑԱԶՐՈՒՅՑ ՀԱՅԵՐԵՆ
Episode 440 | Recorded: March 9, 2025
Read MoreEpisode 439 | Recorded: May 23, 2025
Episode 439 | Recorded: May 23, 2025
Episode 438 | Recorded: May 21, 2025
Episode 438 | Recorded: May 21, 2025
Episode 437 | Recorded: May 16, 2025
Episode 437 | Recorded: May 16, 2025
Episode 436 | Recorded: May 15, 2025
Episode 436 | Recorded: May 15, 2025
Episode 435 | Recorded: May 12, 2025
Episode 435 | Recorded: May 12, 2025
Episode 434 | Recorded: May 6, 2025
Episode 434 | Recorded: May 6, 2025
Episode 433 | Recorded: May 2, 2025
Episode 433 | Recorded: May 2, 2025
What happened to Antiwar Voices. Color Revolutions as US Strategy. Armenia and Pipeline Geopolitics. And more!
Episode 432 | Recorded: April 29, 2025
Episode 432 | Recorded: April 29, 2025
Episode 431 | Recorded: April 29, 2025
Episode 431 | Recorded: April 29, 2025
Episode 430 | Recorded: April 26, 2025
Episode 430 | Recorded: April 26, 2025
Episode 429 | Recorded: April 22, 2025
Episode 429 | Recorded: April 22, 2025
Episode 428 | Recorded: April 14, 2025
Episode 428 | Recorded: April 14, 2025
Episode 427 | Recorded: April 6, 2025
Episode 427 | Recorded: April 6, 2025
In this Conversations on Groong episode, we speak with Professor Warwick Powell about the tectonic shifts in global trade, economics, and geopolitics. From Washington’s renewed tariff wars to China’s expanding influence through BRICS and infrastructure initiatives like the BRI, Powell shares his insights on the emerging multipolar order and the declining dominance of the U.S.-centric financial system.
Episode 426 | Recorded: April 8, 2025
Episode 426 | Recorded: April 8, 2025
Episode 425 | Recorded: March 31, 2025
Episode 425 | Recorded: March 31, 2025
Episode 424 | Recorded: March 25, 2025
Episode 424 | Recorded: March 25, 2025
Episode 423 | Recorded: March 17, 2025