Nikol Pashinyan
Last updated: May 29, 2026
Nikol Pashinyan has been a central figure in Groong’s coverage since the podcast launched in 2020. He rose to power in 2018 through a street movement that its proponents called the Velvet Revolution — though a substantial segment of Armenian political opinion views the events as a color revolution or externally influenced regime change operation rather than a spontaneous civic uprising. Under Pashinyan, Armenia has undergone one of the most turbulent periods in its post-independence history.
The most consequential event of Pashinyan’s tenure was Armenia’s defeat in the 44-Day War of 2020, which ended with the loss of most of Nagorno Karabakh (Artsakh) under a Russian-brokered ceasefire. Pashinyan survived political pressure to resign and consolidated power through snap elections in 2021. The September 2023 Azerbaijani offensive that caused the ethnic cleansing of the entire Armenian population of Artsakh deepened the crisis of legitimacy — both internationally and domestically — as critics argue his concessions to Aliyev made the outcome inevitable.
Since 2022, Pashinyan has undertaken a significant reorientation of Armenian foreign policy: suspending participation in the CSTO , deepening ties with France, the EU, and the United States, and accepting Western security assistance including an EU monitoring mission on the Armenian border. This pivot away from Russia has defined Armenian geopolitics in the post-Artsakh period. Groong has covered every major step of this reorientation, including what it means for Armenia’s relationship with Iran, India, and other partners.
Domestically, Groong’s coverage of Pashinyan addresses his government’s confrontation with the Armenian Church , the arrest of opposition figures and political prisoners , the Tavush border delimitation controversy, and Civil Contract’s campaign in the June 2026 parliamentary elections . Critics covered extensively on Groong argue that Pashinyan has used his parliamentary supermajority to weaken democratic institutions and neutralize political opposition under the guise of reform.
Groong episodes that include this tag
Below are all Groong episodes tagged with Nikol Pashinyan.
Transcript: Fyodor Lukyanov - Russia in Evolving Global Geopolitics | Ep 502, Jan 9, 2026 [EP502]
Posted on Friday, Jan 9, 2026 | Category: Iran, Russia, Armenia, Israel, Politics, China, Ukraine, Armenian Church, Artsakh Blockade, BRICS, European Union, NATO, Azerbaijan, TranscriptFyodor Lukyanov joins Groong to discuss how Moscow reads a fast-shifting global landscape, from the U.S. raid in Venezuela and maritime seizures at sea, to Trump’s Greenland rhetoric, the stalled endgame in Ukraine, the likelihood of a renewed Israel-Iran war, and how TRIPP and “unblocking” disputes in Armenia’s south fit into Russia’s regional priorities.
Hrant Mikaelian - Venezuela, Attacks on the Armenian Church Continue, MPG Poll Results | Ep 501, Jan 4, 2026 [EP501]
Posted on Wednesday, Jan 7, 2026 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Poll, Armenian Church, Economy, Azerbaijan, Artsakh, Nagorno Karabakh, BRICS, Russia, China, Geopolitics, Georgia, Human Rights, Iran, NATO, Syria | Series: wir, video
Groong Links:
Guest:
Topics:
- Developments in Venezuela
- Attacks on Armenian Church Continue
- New MPG Poll Results
Episode 501 | Recorded: January 6, 2026
#VenezuelaCrisis #ArmenianChurch #MPGPoll #ArmeniaEconomy #Geopolitics
Hrant Mikaelian - Venezuela, Attacks on the Armenian Church Continue, MPG Poll Results | Ep 501, Jan 4, 2026 [EP501]
Posted on Wednesday, Jan 7, 2026 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Poll, Armenian Church, Economy, Azerbaijan, Artsakh, Nagorno Karabakh, BRICS, Russia, China, Geopolitics, Georgia, Human Rights, Iran, NATO, SyriaGroong Links:
Guest:
Topics:
- Developments in Venezuela
- Attacks on Armenian Church Continue
- New MPG Poll Results
Episode 501 | Recorded: January 6, 2026
#VenezuelaCrisis #ArmenianChurch #MPGPoll #ArmeniaEconomy #Geopolitics
Diana Mkrtchyan - Ojakh, the Other Side of Silence - a Marvel to Behold | Ep 499, Dec 30, 2025 [EP499]
Posted on Tuesday, Dec 30, 2025 | Category: Arts, Armenia, Artsakh, Nagorno Karabakh, Artsakh Blockade, Armenian Genocide, Genocide, Russia, Iran, Turkey, Georgia, Israel, Syria | Series: tcc
Groong Links:
Guest Host:
Guest:
Topics:
- Diana Mkrtchyanâs personal and artistic journey
- The origins of Ojakh in Erhan Arikâs photographic work
- Filming the final testimonies of Armenian Genocide survivors
- Ethical and technical challenges of documenting trauma
- The erasure of Ojakh from official cultural promotion in Armenia
- Cinema as historical record and moral witness
- Mkrtchyanâs Artsakh footage during the blockade
Episode 499 | Recorded: December 27, 2025
Diana Mkrtchyan - Ojakh, the Other Side of Silence - a Marvel to Behold | Ep 499, Dec 30, 2025 [EP499]
Posted on Tuesday, Dec 30, 2025 | Category: Arts, Armenia, Artsakh, Nagorno Karabakh, Artsakh Blockade, Armenian Genocide, Genocide, Russia, Iran, Turkey, Georgia, Israel, SyriaGroong Links:
Guest Host:
Guest:
Topics:
- Diana Mkrtchyanâs personal and artistic journey
- The origins of Ojakh in Erhan Arikâs photographic work
- Filming the final testimonies of Armenian Genocide survivors
- Ethical and technical challenges of documenting trauma
- The erasure of Ojakh from official cultural promotion in Armenia
- Cinema as historical record and moral witness
- Mkrtchyanâs Artsakh footage during the blockade
Episode 499 | Recorded: December 27, 2025
Dziunik Aghajanian - EU Ukraine Rift, Church Siege, and TRIPP Power Games | Ep 498, Dec 21, 2025 [EP498]
Posted on Thursday, Dec 25, 2025 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Artsakh, Nagorno Karabakh, Azerbaijan, Turkey, Russia, Armenian Church, Ukraine, Iran, Economy, Georgia, European Union, China, Middle East, NATO | Series: wir, video
Groong Links:
Guest:
Topics:
- Ukraine War and EU Rift
- Siege on Etchmiadzin and the Church
- Peace Dividend or Political Theater
- TRIPP and Competing Power Claims
Episode 498 | Recorded: December 23, 2025
#ArmenianChurch #Etchmiadzin #TRIPP #ArmeniaPolitics #Groong
Dziunik Aghajanian - EU Ukraine Rift, Church Siege, and TRIPP Power Games | Ep 498, Dec 21, 2025 [EP498]
Posted on Thursday, Dec 25, 2025 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Artsakh, Nagorno Karabakh, Azerbaijan, Turkey, Russia, Armenian Church, Ukraine, Iran, Economy, Georgia, European Union, China, Middle East, NATOGroong Links:
Guest:
Topics:
- Ukraine War and EU Rift
- Siege on Etchmiadzin and the Church
- Peace Dividend or Political Theater
- TRIPP and Competing Power Claims
Episode 498 | Recorded: December 23, 2025
#ArmenianChurch #Etchmiadzin #TRIPP #ArmeniaPolitics #Groong
Spotlight on Silence: InJustice in Armenia | Ep 497, Dec 18, 2025 [EP497]
Posted on Thursday, Dec 18, 2025 | Category: Armenia, Spotlight on Silence, Political Prisoners, Armenian Church, Human Rights, Russia, Georgia, Turkey, Ukraine | Series: video, sos
Groong Links:
Guest:
Follow ACPR on Facebook: Քաղաքական իրավունքների հայկական կենտրոն - ՔԻՀԿ / ACPR
Topics:
- Criminalization of Speech and Dissent in Armenia
- Legal Pressure on Lawyers, Journalists, and Clergy
- Selective Justice and Coordinated Propaganda
- Article 236 and the Policing of Protest
Episode 497 | Recorded: December 14, 2025
#SpotlightOnSilence #ArmeniaJustice #PoliticalPrisoners #FreedomOfSpeech #RuleOfLaw #HumanRights #Groong
Read MoreSpotlight on Silence: InJustice in Armenia | Ep 497, Dec 18, 2025 [EP497]
Posted on Thursday, Dec 18, 2025 | Category: Armenia, Spotlight on Silence, Political Prisoners, Armenian Church, Human Rights, Russia, Georgia, Turkey, UkraineGroong Links:
Guest:
Follow ACPR on Facebook: Քաղաքական իրավունքների հայկական կենտրոն - ՔԻՀԿ / ACPR
Topics:
- Criminalization of Speech and Dissent in Armenia
- Legal Pressure on Lawyers, Journalists, and Clergy
- Selective Justice and Coordinated Propaganda
- Article 236 and the Policing of Protest
Episode 497 | Recorded: December 14, 2025
#SpotlightOnSilence #ArmeniaJustice #PoliticalPrisoners #FreedomOfSpeech #RuleOfLaw #HumanRights #Groong
Read More