Moldova on Groong Podcast

Benyamin Poghosyan - Pashinyan War on Armenian Church, EU-Armenia, Artsakh, Arar Poll | Ep 494, Sep 25, 2025

Tue, 09 Dec 2025 02:20:32 -0800

Summary

This Week in Review with Benyamin Poghosyan looks at Pashinyan’s escalating confrontation with the Armenian Apostolic Church, including the arrest of Archbishop Arshak Khachatryan on a narcotics “distribution” charge rooted in a 2018 incident, and the security services’ seizure of Gyumri’s Seven Wounds Church to stage a December 7 Divine Liturgy without mentioning the Catholicos. We discuss what these moves reveal about the regime’s goals toward Etchmiadzin, while polls show strong public support for both the Church and the Armed Forces. We also examine the new Armenia-EU “Strategic Agenda,” calls for Yerevan to join anti-Russia sanctions, EU funding against “Russian hybrid war,” Pashinyan’s selective publication of OSCE Minsk Group documents, and fresh polling on where Armenians see their main strategic partners and the Russian base in Gyumri.

Benyamin Poghosyan - Pashinyan War on Armenian Church, EU-Armenia, Artsakh, Arar Poll | Ep 494, Sep 25, 2025

Tue, 09 Dec 2025 02:20:32 -0800

Episode Summary

Benyamin Poghosyan - Ajapahyan Sentenced, Moldova, EPC, Peace Act, Dismantling the Armenian Military | Ep 477, Oct 5, 2025

Wed, 08 Oct 2025 15:20:32 -0700

Summary

With Dr. Benyamin Poghosyan We cover Archbishop Mikayel Ajapahyan’s two-year sentence and what it signals in an lethargic Armenia, Moldova’s election and diaspora voting, the EU’s patterns of force ahead of Armenia’s 2026 vote, takeaways from the European Political Community (EPC) in Copenhagen and the Warsaw Security Forum (WSF), the politics of the U.S. PEACE Act, defense shifts including a shortened 18-month military service plan contrasted with acknowledged military serviceman shortage, and the internal fight over the stalled 44-day war report.

Benyamin Poghosyan - Ajapahyan Sentenced, Moldova, EPC, Peace Act, Dismantling the Armenian Military | Ep 477, Oct 5, 2025

Wed, 08 Oct 2025 15:20:32 -0700

Episode Summary

With Dr. Benyamin Poghosyan We cover Archbishop Mikayel Ajapahyan’s two-year sentence and what it signals in an lethargic Armenia, Moldova’s election and diaspora voting, the EU’s patterns of force ahead of Armenia’s 2026 vote, takeaways from the European Political Community (EPC) in Copenhagen and the Warsaw Security Forum (WSF), the politics of the U.S. PEACE Act, defense shifts including a shortened 18-month military service plan contrasted with acknowledged military serviceman shortage, and the internal fight over the stalled 44-day war report.

Glenn Diesen - The Think Tank Racket: Managing the Information War with Russia | Ep 415, Feb 17, 2025

Mon, 17 Feb 2025 00:11:00 -0700

Main Topics Addressed

The role of Western think tanks in shaping foreign policy and public discourse
The revolving door between think tanks, media, and government
USAID and its impact on global political movements
Media manipulation and the role of NGOs in “velvet revolutions”
Censorship and the information war on social media
Reforming the think tank industry and ensuring transparency

Key Questions Discussed

What motivated Glenn Diesen to write The Think Tank Racket?
How do think tanks influence policy-making and public opinion?
Who funds think tanks, and what are their objectives?
How do government-supported NGOs shape media narratives?
What role did USAID play in the Euromaidan and other regime changes?
How do think tanks use social media giants to manage disinformation?
What reforms are needed to address the think tank industry’s influence?
How can small countries like Armenia resist external influence?

Referenced Articles & Sources

Relevant News & Commentary:

Glenn Diesen - The Think Tank Racket: Managing the Information War with Russia | Ep 415, Feb 17, 2025

Mon, 17 Feb 2025 00:11:00 -0700

Episode Summary

Think Tanks: Defining the Problem. Media Manipulation, NGOs, and Colored Coups. Reforming the Think Tank Industry.

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Sergei Melkonian - Armenian Azerbaijani Negotiations Continue in Chisinau/Kishinev and Moscow | Pashinyan Attends Erdogan Inauguration | Israeli President in Azerbaijan | Ep 260 - June 4, 2023

Mon, 05 Jun 2023 00:15:00 -0700

You say Chisinau, I say Kishinev

May was a very busy month in the continuing Armenian-Azerbaijani so-called “peace” negotiations, and the saga continues so far in June. This past week started with a meeting on June 1st with a 5-way summit between Pashinyan, Aliyev, and Chancellor Olaf Scholtz of Germany, and presidents Macron and Michel of France and the EU.

The main topics on the table were:

Unblocking of regional transport and economic infrastructures
Border delimitation and security between the two countries
Normalization of relations between the two countries
Rights and security of the people of Nagorno Karabakh
POWs, missing persons and “other humanitarian” issues

Pres. Michel said afterwards that the meeting was a good prep for another upcoming meeting on July 21.

Sergei Melkonian - Armenian Azerbaijani Negotiations Continue in Chisinau/Kishinev and Moscow | Pashinyan Attends Erdogan Inauguration | Israeli President in Azerbaijan | Ep 260 - June 4, 2023

Mon, 05 Jun 2023 00:15:00 -0700

Episode Summary

Armenian Azerbaijani Negotiations Continue. You say Chisinau, I say Kishinev. Deputy PMs Meet in Moscow. Israeli President Visits Azerbaijan. Pashinyan Attends Erdogan’s Inauguration. Armenia-Russia Relations.

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Anna Abrahamian: Munich Security Conference | Artsakh

Fri, 24 Feb 2023 23:30:00 +0400

Discussion

Munich

For a lot of Armenians, last weekend’s Annual Munich Security Conference was defined by the humiliating scenes of Aliyev calling Pashinyan and Armenians “occupiers” and “capitulants”. We’ll go into the Armenian aspect of Munich, but we wanted to talk to you about more global developments.

For instance, the US tried to raise warnings to China about supporting Russia in Ukraine.

Questions:

Can you summarize what the Munich Security Conference means for the world? What were some of the major developments there?

On the first anniversary of the war in Ukraine, Vladimir Putin gave a hallmark speech.

Anna Abrahamian: Munich Security Conference | Artsakh

Fri, 24 Feb 2023 23:30:00 +0400

Episode Summary

Today we’re going to talk with Anna Abrahamian about two or three topics. The Munich Security Conference 2023. We’ll touch on Russian president Putin’s state of the federation address.

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