Last updated: June 10, 2026
Armenia’s land borders span approximately 1,570 kilometers and connect it to four neighboring countries: Azerbaijan (910 km to the east and north), Turkey (311 km to the west), Iran (910 km to the south and southeast), and Georgia (164 km to the north). The borders define Armenia’s access to regional markets, energy supplies, and transit options. Turkey has maintained a unilateral blockade of Armenia since 1993, closing its land border and airspace. Following the ceasefire agreements of 1994 and 2020, border demarcation and delimitation with Azerbaijan have remained contested, with disputes over enclaves, territorial control, and transit corridor status creating persistent tensions.
Armenia’s borders determine its survival as a sovereign state. The loss of Artsakh (Nagorno Karabakh) in a 24-hour offensive on September 19–20, 2023, ethnically cleansed the enclave of its more than 150,000 Armenian inhabitants and reduced Armenian territorial control to the Republic proper. The primary obstacle to the Armenia-Azerbaijan peace process is Azerbaijan’s precondition that Armenia amend its constitution to remove references to Artsakh and recognize Azerbaijani territorial claims. Border demarcation and delimitation, while technically complex and lengthy, is proceeding but Armenian opposition parties criticize the Pashinyan government for accepting Azerbaijan’s sequencing priorities in determining which areas are demarcated first. Beyond the constitutional demands and demarcation process, Azerbaijan demands implementation of transit arrangements that would connect mainland Azerbaijan to Nakhijevan across Armenian Syunik province. Armenia fears that such arrangements, marketed as TRIPP (Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity) by Washington, would cement Azerbaijani and Turkish control over Armenian territory and sever Armenia’s ability to maintain open transit with Iran through Syunik , a critical lifeline for trade and energy independent of hostile neighbors.
The Zangezur Corridor label itself reflects geopolitical competition over naming rights and intent. The United States frames the corridor as TRIPP, a transit project designed to connect Asia to Europe while bypassing Russia and Iran and serving American strategic interests in accessing critical minerals and limiting Chinese and Russian influence. Azerbaijan and Turkey call it the “Zangezur Corridor,” terminology rooted in pan-Turanic ambitions to integrate the region under Turkish-Azerbaijani leadership. This is not a semantic difference. Implementation would allow Turkey to link directly with Azerbaijan and Central Asia, completing a corridor that many Armenian analysts see as a threat to Armenian sovereignty rather than a neutral infrastructure project. The Iran War that erupted in early 2026 has frozen TRIPP’s implementation by making the corridor’s passage through Syunik strategically volatile, but it has not resolved the underlying question of whether Armenia will eventually be forced to accept transit arrangements that benefit Turkey and Azerbaijan more than Armenia itself.
Armenia’s border situation defines its options for trade, energy, and geopolitical alignment. With Turkey’s border closed since 1993, Armenia cannot access Europe overland and remains dependent on air and sea routes through Georgia and Iran. Armenia’s southern border with Iran remains open and functional, and the northern border with Georgia is also open. These two neighbors provide Armenia’s only reliable transit routes for goods and energy independent of hostile powers. Turkey’s continued closure of its border means that any corridor arrangement through Syunik that severs Armenia’s direct access to Iran would eliminate Armenia’s most critical independent trade pathway. In this context, border demarcation with Azerbaijan becomes more than a technical boundary matter: it determines whether Armenia can survive as a sovereign state or whether it will be economically strangled by hostile neighbors and forced into submission. Fyodor Lukyanov and Varuzhan Geghamyan have analyzed how the corridor question and border disputes shape Armenia’s choices between competing blocs, and how Armenia’s weakness in border negotiations reflects its broader loss of leverage in a region where Russia no longer guarantees its security and the West offers support without binding commitments.
Below are all Groong episodes tagged with Borders.
Episode 174 | Recorded: November 3, 2022
Episode 173 | Recorded: November 1, 2022
Episode 173 | Recorded: November 1, 2022
Episode 169 | Recorded: October 17, 2022
Episode 169 | Recorded: October 17, 2022
Episode 168 | Recorded: Friday, October 14, 2022
Episode 168 | Recorded: Friday, October 14, 2022
Episode 167 | Recorded: October 10, 2022
Episode 167 | Recorded: October 10, 2022
Episode 166 | Recorded: October 1 & 3, 2022
Episode 166 | Recorded: October 1 & 3, 2022
Episode 165 | Recorded: Sunday, September 18, 2022
Episode 165 | Recorded: Sunday, September 18, 2022
Armenian News Network - Groong Week in Review - Sep 4, 2022
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Armenian News Network - Groong Week in Review - Sep 4, 2022
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Armenian News Network/Groong Week in Review - August 21, 2022
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Guest: Dr. Arthur Khachikyan
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Hovik Manucharyan TW/@HovikYerevan Asbed Bedrossian TW/@qubriq
Episode 160 | Recorded: Sunday, August 28, 2022
Armenian News Network/Groong Week in Review - August 21, 2022
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Guest: Dr. Arthur Khachikyan
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Hovik Manucharyan TW/@HovikYerevan Asbed Bedrossian TW/@qubriq
Episode 160 | Recorded: Sunday, August 28, 2022
Armenian News Network/Groong - August 23, 2022
On August 23, 1990 the Supreme Council of the Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic proclaimed Armenia as independent.
True, Armenia officially celebrates independence day on September 21, due to the referendum which was held on Sep 21 1991, the following year. But for me, the date of August 23 - the date of the proclamation of the declaration of independence - is no less special.
For it is this document comprised of 12 articles that form the basis for all laws in Armenia and for the constitution itself. From the need to establish historic justice,
Read MoreArmenian News Network/Groong - August 23, 2022
On August 23, 1990 the Supreme Council of the Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic proclaimed Armenia as independent.
True, Armenia officially celebrates independence day on September 21, due to the referendum which was held on Sep 21 1991, the following year. But for me, the date of August 23 - the date of the proclamation of the declaration of independence - is no less special.
For it is this document comprised of 12 articles that form the basis for all laws in Armenia and for the constitution itself. From the need to establish historic justice,
Read MoreArmenian News Network/Groong Week in Review - August 21, 2022
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Armenian News Network/Groong Week in Review - August 21, 2022
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Armeniaâs Economy in 2022 - PART 1 Conversation with Vardan Aramyan
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Website: https://groong.org/podcasts/CoG-20220812.html Episode 154 | Recorded on Friday, August 5, 2022
Armeniaâs Economy in 2022 - PART 1 Conversation with Vardan Aramyan
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Website: https://groong.org/podcasts/CoG-20220812.html Episode 154 | Recorded on Friday, August 5, 2022
Talking with Anna Astvatsaturian Turcotte | Ep 153 - August 11, 2022
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Talking with Anna Astvatsaturian Turcotte | Ep 153 - August 11, 2022
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ANN/Groong Week in Review - August 7, 2022
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Episode 152 | Recorded: Monday, August 8, 2022 Website: https://groong.org/podcasts/WiR-20220807.html
ANN/Groong Week in Review - August 7, 2022
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Episode 152 | Recorded: Monday, August 8, 2022 Website: https://groong.org/podcasts/WiR-20220807.html
This is a live recording of our Twitter Spaces discussion from August 7, 2022 with Alison Tahmizian Meuse who joined us from Aghavno.
The situation in Berdzor/Aghavno is quite concerning as residents were told to vacate their homes, their town and their homeland by August 25.
Guest: Alison Tahmizian Meuse
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Episode 151 | Recorded on August 7, 2022
This is a live recording of our Twitter Spaces discussion from August 7, 2022 with Alison Tahmizian Meuse who joined us from Aghavno.
The situation in Berdzor/Aghavno is quite concerning as residents were told to vacate their homes, their town and their homeland by August 25.
Guest: Alison Tahmizian Meuse
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Episode 151 | Recorded on August 7, 2022
ANN/Groong Week in Review - July 31, 2022
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Episode 149 | Recorded: Monday, July 31, 2022 Website: https://groong.org/podcasts/WiR-20220731.html
ANN/Groong Week in Review - July 31, 2022
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Episode 149 | Recorded: Monday, July 31, 2022 Website: https://groong.org/podcasts/WiR-20220731.html
Armenian News Network/Groong Week in Review - July 17, 2022
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Episode 148 | Recorded: Monday, July 19, 2022 Website: https://groong.org/podcasts/WiR-20220717.html
Armenian News Network/Groong Week in Review - July 17, 2022
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Episode 148 | Recorded: Monday, July 19, 2022 Website: https://groong.org/podcasts/WiR-20220717.html
Armenian News Network/Groong: Current Topics with the Mayor of Glendale - July 14, 2022 A Conversation with Ardy Kassakhian
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Read MoreArmenian News Network/Groong: Current Topics with the Mayor of Glendale - July 14, 2022 A Conversation with Ardy Kassakhian
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Read MoreArmenian News Network/Groong Week in Review - July 10, 2022
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Episode 146 | Recorded: Monday, July 11, 2022 Website: https://groong.org/podcasts/WiR-20220710.html
#armenian #news
Armenian News Network/Groong Week in Review - July 10, 2022
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Episode 146 | Recorded: Monday, July 11, 2022 Website: https://groong.org/podcasts/WiR-20220710.html
#armenian #news
Armenian News Network/Groong - Week in Review - June 19, 2022
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Episode 143 | Recorded: Monday, June 20, 2022 Website: https://groong.org/podcasts/WiR-20220619.html
Read MoreArmenian News Network/Groong - Week in Review - June 19, 2022
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Episode 143 | Recorded: Monday, June 20, 2022 Website: https://groong.org/podcasts/WiR-20220619.html
Read MoreArmenian News Network/Groong Week in Review - June 5, 2022
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Dr. Benyamin Poghosyan / TW/@Benyamin_Poghos
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Hovik Manucharyan TW/@HovikYerevan Asbed Bedrossian TW/@qubriq Episode 141 | Recorded: Monday, June 6, 2022
Armenian News Network/Groong Week in Review - June 5, 2022
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Dr. Benyamin Poghosyan / TW/@Benyamin_Poghos
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Hovik Manucharyan TW/@HovikYerevan Asbed Bedrossian TW/@qubriq Episode 141 | Recorded: Monday, June 6, 2022
Armenian News Network/Groong Week in Review - May 29, 2022
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00:00 Introduction
02:27 Russiaâs Geopolitics: Weâll get an update on the war as well as trying to understand what Russiaâs endgame is in Ukraine and how it may affect our region.
23:10 Armenia-Russia Relations: Next, we try to understand the dynamics of Armenia-Russian relations as well as the outlook for the future.
42:38 Israeli Interests and Armenia: Lastly, taking advantage of our guestâs area of expertise, we look at Israeli-Armenian relations, the history of failures in this
Armenian News Network/Groong Week in Review - May 29, 2022
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00:00 Introduction
02:27 Russiaâs Geopolitics: Weâll get an update on the war as well as trying to understand what Russiaâs endgame is in Ukraine and how it may affect our region.
23:10 Armenia-Russia Relations: Next, we try to understand the dynamics of Armenia-Russian relations as well as the outlook for the future.
42:38 Israeli Interests and Armenia: Lastly, taking advantage of our guestâs area of expertise, we look at Israeli-Armenian relations, the history of failures in this
Armenian News Network/Groong Week in Review - May 22, 2022
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Episode 139 | Recorded: Monday, May 23, 2022 Website: https://groong.org/podcasts/WiR-20220522.html #zartnirlao
Armenian News Network/Groong Week in Review - May 22, 2022
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Episode 139 | Recorded: Monday, May 23, 2022 Website: https://groong.org/podcasts/WiR-20220522.html #zartnirlao
Armenian News Network/Groong Week in Review - May 15, 2022
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Episode 137 | Recorded: Tuesday, May 16, 2022 Website: https://groong.org/podcasts/WiR-20220515.html
Armenian News Network/Groong Week in Review - May 15, 2022
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Episode 137 | Recorded: Tuesday, May 16, 2022 Website: https://groong.org/podcasts/WiR-20220515.html
Armenian News Network/Groong Week in Review - May 8, 2022
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Episode 135 | Recorded: Tuesday, May 10, 2022 Website: https://groong.org/podcasts/WiR-20220508.html
Armenian News Network/Groong Week in Review - May 8, 2022
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Episode 135 | Recorded: Tuesday, May 10, 2022 Website: https://groong.org/podcasts/WiR-20220508.html
Armenian News Network/Groong Week in Review - May 1, 2022
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Episode 134 | Recorded: Monday, May 2, 2022 Website: https://groong.org/podcasts/WiR-20220501.html
Armenian News Network/Groong Week in Review - May 1, 2022
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Episode 134 | Recorded: Monday, May 2, 2022 Website: https://groong.org/podcasts/WiR-20220501.html
Armenian News Network/Groong Week in Review - April 24, 2022
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Episode 133 | Recorded: Monday, April 25, 2022 Website: https://groong.org/podcasts/WiR-20220424.html
Armenian News Network/Groong Week in Review - April 24, 2022
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Episode 133 | Recorded: Monday, April 25, 2022 Website: https://groong.org/podcasts/WiR-20220424.html
Armenian News Network/Groong Week in Review - April 10, 2022
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00:00:00 Introduction
00:02:25 Opposition Protests in Yerevan: Thousands showed up to the opposition protest on Tuesday, outlining the red lines for Pashinyan’s dealings with Aliyev, ahead of the meeting in Brussels. Opposition says this is only the beginning, but have yet to indicate what their next steps will be.
00:12:35 Buying Bread from a Man in Brussels: Pashinyan went to Brussels this week to meet with Charles Michel and Ilham Aliyev. Did the Armenian PM
Armenian News Network/Groong Week in Review - April 10, 2022
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00:00:00 Introduction
00:02:25 Opposition Protests in Yerevan: Thousands showed up to the opposition protest on Tuesday, outlining the red lines for Pashinyan’s dealings with Aliyev, ahead of the meeting in Brussels. Opposition says this is only the beginning, but have yet to indicate what their next steps will be.
00:12:35 Buying Bread from a Man in Brussels: Pashinyan went to Brussels this week to meet with Charles Michel and Ilham Aliyev. Did the Armenian PM
Armenian News Network/Groong Week in Review - April 3, 2022
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Episode 131 | Recorded: Sunday, April 4, 2022 Website: https://groong.org/podcasts/WiR-20220403.html
Armenian News Network/Groong Week in Review - April 3, 2022
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Episode 131 | Recorded: Sunday, April 4, 2022 Website: https://groong.org/podcasts/WiR-20220403.html
Armenian News Network/Groong Week in Review - March 27, 2022
Episode 130 | Recorded: Monday, March 28, 2022