Tag: Emmanuel Macron
Last updated: May 29, 2026
Emmanuel Macron has been the most prominent Western leader to publicly align with Armenia’s position in the conflict with Azerbaijan. Following the September 2023 Azerbaijani offensive and the ethnic cleansing of the Armenian population of Nagorno Karabakh (Artsakh), France strengthened its security cooperation with Armenia, approved arms sales including radar systems and armored vehicles, and supported Armenia’s engagement with European security structures. Macron’s public statements have been among the sharpest Western criticisms of Azerbaijani conduct.
France’s motivations are debated. The French-Armenian diaspora — one of the largest in the world, with deep roots in communities that survived the 1915 Genocide — gives Armenian issues political salience in France that few other conflicts enjoy. But the diaspora alone does not fully explain the depth of French state engagement. Some analysts argue that France sees Armenia as a potential strategic foothold against Russian influence in the South Caucasus — a western-oriented “bastion” that, if successfully anchored to European structures, would extend EU and NATO-adjacent reach into a region where Moscow has long held sway. In this reading, France’s Armenia policy is as much about containing Russia and countering Turkish influence as it is about solidarity with a small Christian nation.
Groong has covered Macron’s role in Armenian affairs from his early mediation efforts in the OSCE Minsk Group co-chair format through the post-2023 security partnership. Episodes in this category address France’s arms transfers, the political dynamics driving French engagement, the debate over France’s true strategic calculus, and the limits of what a bilateral Franco-Armenian security relationship can realistically provide.
Kocharyan Closes In on Pashinyan’s Lead | Pashinyan Visits Europe | (Ep #66) - June 6, 2021 [EP66]
Posted on Sunday, Jun 6, 2021 | Category: Armenia, Russia, Iran, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Artsakh, Syria
ANN/Groong Week in Review - June 6, 2021
Topics:
- Kocharyan Closes in on Pashinyan in Election Polls
- Pashinyan Visits Europe
Guests:
- Asbed Kotchikian
- Emil Sanamyan
Hosts:
- Asbed Bedrossian
- Hovik Manucharyan
Website: https://groong.org/podcasts/WiR-20210606.html
Episode 66 | Recorded: June 6, 2021
ANN/Groong Week in Review Episode 33 - Dec 13, 2020
Topics Covered:
- Renewed Fighting & the OSCE MG visit
- Expedited Border Demarcation?
- What will happen to Sotq?
- Diplomatic Relations with Azerbaijan?
Your Hosts:
- Asbed Bedrossian
- Hovik Manucharyan
Resident Panelists:
- Emil Sanamyan
- Pietro Shakarian
Recorded: Dec 13, 2020
ANN/Groong Week in Review Episode 33 - Dec 13, 2020
Topics Covered:
- Renewed Fighting & the OSCE MG visit
- Expedited Border Demarcation?
- What will happen to Sotq?
- Diplomatic Relations with Azerbaijan?
Your Hosts:
- Asbed Bedrossian
- Hovik Manucharyan
Resident Panelists:
- Emil Sanamyan
- Pietro Shakarian
Recorded: Dec 13, 2020
On 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 More
ANN/Groong Week in Review Episode 26 - Nov 8, 2020
Topics Covered:
- Six weeks of war, what to do next.
- What is Russia thinking?
- To recognize or not to recognize.
Your Hosts:
- Asbed Bedrossian
- Hovik Manucharyan
Resident Panelists:
- Asbed Kotchikian
- Emil Sanamyan
- Yeghia Tashjian
Recorded: Nov 7, 2020
ANN/Groong Week in Review Episode 26 - Nov 8, 2020
Topics Covered:
- Six weeks of war, what to do next.
- What is Russia thinking?
- To recognize or not to recognize.
Your Hosts:
- Asbed Bedrossian
- Hovik Manucharyan
Resident Panelists:
- Asbed Kotchikian
- Emil Sanamyan
- Yeghia Tashjian
Recorded: Nov 7, 2020
ANN/Groong Week in Review - October 18, 2020
Topics Covered:
- In retrospect: Tracing our steps back to Sep. 27
- Call from extra-parliamentary opposition for a War Council
- Mobilization of the Armenian diaspora
Your Hosts:
- Asbed Bedrossian
- Hovik Manucharyan
Resident Panelists:
- Asbed Kotchikian
- Emil Sanamyan
Episode 22. Recorded: October18, 2020 Playlist: WiR (Week in Review)
ANN/Groong Week in Review - October 18, 2020
Topics Covered:
- In retrospect: Tracing our steps back to Sep. 27
- Call from extra-parliamentary opposition for a War Council
- Mobilization of the Armenian diaspora
Your Hosts:
- Asbed Bedrossian
- Hovik Manucharyan
Resident Panelists:
- Asbed Kotchikian
- Emil Sanamyan
Episode 22. Recorded: October18, 2020 Playlist: WiR (Week in Review)