Last updated: May 29, 2026
BRICS is a bloc of major emerging economies — originally Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa — that has expanded in recent years to include additional members and has increasingly positioned itself as an alternative to Western-dominated multilateral institutions. Its summits, trade frameworks, and proposals for a non-dollar settlement currency have made it a focal point of discussion among states seeking to hedge against Western economic and political pressure.
For Armenia, BRICS has emerged as a topic of debate in the context of the country’s foreign policy realignment. Some Armenian political forces argue that BRICS membership or association could provide economic alternatives to both Russian dependency and the conditions attached to Western integration. Others argue that associating with a Russia- and China-led bloc would undermine Armenia’s aspirations for EU alignment and deepen its entanglement with a sanctions-ridden Russian economy.
Groong covers BRICS in the context of Armenian foreign policy choices, the competing global connectivity frameworks being promoted in the South Caucasus, and the broader question of whether Armenia can pursue meaningful economic diversification outside the Western orbit.
Episode 548 | Recorded: May 22, 2026
#Armenia #ArmenianElections #ArmenianPolitics #Artsakh #SouthCaucasus #CivilContract #StrongArmenia #HayastanDashinq
Episode 548 | Recorded: May 22, 2026
#Armenia #ArmenianElections #ArmenianPolitics #Artsakh #SouthCaucasus #CivilContract #StrongArmenia #HayastanDashinq
This Conversations on Groong episode provides a primer on Armenia’s June 7, 2026 parliamentary elections, reviewing the 17 parties and 2 alliances registered to compete. The discussion explains the election rules, thresholds, coalition process, and the “stable majority” mechanism, while stressing the uneven political environment facing opposition forces. The episode then walks through each participant, including Civil Contract, Strong Armenia, Armenia Alliance, Prosperous Armenia, Wings of Unity, Bright Armenia, ANC, Bever, Republic, DOK, Democratic Consolidation, and smaller parties with Read More
Episode 534 | Recorded: April 21, 2026
Episode 534 | Recorded: April 21, 2026
In this episode of the Groong podcast, we speak with Dr. Dmitry Suslov about the shifting geopolitical landscape across the Iran war, the Ukraine conflict, and the South Caucasus. We examine the fragile state of the Iran war and its impact on global trade and regional escalation, Russia’s strategic positioning, and the potential for a broader conflict involving Azerbaijan and Turkey. The discussion then turns to the Ukraine war, focusing on attrition, Europe’s growing militarization, and the prospects for a long-term Russia–Europe confrontation. Finally, we explore Russia’s policy in the South Read More
Episode 533 | Recorded: April 21, 2026
Episode 533 | Recorded: April 21, 2026
Prof. Warwick Powell discusses his thermoeconomic view of world politics, where energy, money, and information form a single system. We connect the war on Iran to declining U.S. energy efficiency, the limits of airpower, de-dollarization, and the rise of alternative financial and information architectures. We also bring the conversation back to Armenia, asking what TRIPP, SMRs, and large AI data centers could mean for a small state trying to protect its energy and information sovereignty. We close by reflecting on considerations for Armenia in implementing centralized data infrastructure, more Read More