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.
Sergei Melkonian - Armenian Azerbaijani Negotiations Continue in Chisinau/Kishinev and Moscow | Pashinyan Attends Erdogan Inauguration | Israeli President in Azerbaijan | Ep 260 - June 4, 2023 [EP260]
Posted on Monday, Jun 5, 2023 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Israel, Artsakh, Nagorno Karabakh, Azerbaijan, Iran, Artsakh Blockade, Russia, Turkey, Syria, China, Middle East, Ukraine, European Union, Georgia, Lebanon, NATO | Series: wir
Guest:
Topics:
- Armenian Azerbaijani Negotiations Continue
- You say Chisinau, I say Kishinev
- Deputy PMs Meet in Moscow
- Israeli President Visits Azerbaijan
- Pashinyan Attends Erdoganâs Inauguration
- Armenia-Russia Relations
Episode 260 | Recorded: June 5, 2023
Sergei Melkonian - Armenian Azerbaijani Negotiations Continue in Chisinau/Kishinev and Moscow | Pashinyan Attends Erdogan Inauguration | Israeli President in Azerbaijan | Ep 260 - June 4, 2023 [EP260]
Posted on Monday, Jun 5, 2023 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Israel, Artsakh, Nagorno Karabakh, Azerbaijan, Iran, Artsakh Blockade, Russia, Turkey, Syria, China, Middle East, Ukraine, European Union, Georgia, Lebanon, NATOGuest:
Topics:
- Armenian Azerbaijani Negotiations Continue
- You say Chisinau, I say Kishinev
- Deputy PMs Meet in Moscow
- Israeli President Visits Azerbaijan
- Pashinyan Attends Erdoganâs Inauguration
- Armenia-Russia Relations
Episode 260 | Recorded: June 5, 2023
Artsakh Blockade Flash Update with Gev Iskajyan - Ep 259, June 2, 2023 [EP259]
Posted on Friday, Jun 2, 2023 | Category: Politics, Artsakh, Nagorno Karabakh, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Russia, Artsakh Blockade, NATO | Series: artsakhblockade
Artsakh Blockade Flash Update with Gev Iskajyan - Ep 259, June 2, 2023
Armenian News Network Groong - June 2, 2023
Guest:
Topics:
- Current Living and Humanitarian Conditions
- Morale after Pashinyanâs Recognition of Artsakh in Azerbaijan
- How is Artsakh Responding to Aliyevâs Amnesty Threats?
- Moral of the Artsakhtsi Population
- About Artsakh Men Being Denied Transit through Azeri Checkpoints
- Have the Russian Peacekeepers Changed Under Lentsov?
- All Parties are in Breach of the November 2020 Trilateral Ceasefire Agreement
Episode 259 | Recorded: June 2, 2023
Artsakh Blockade Flash Update with Gev Iskajyan - Ep 259, June 2, 2023 [EP259]
Posted on Friday, Jun 2, 2023 | Category: Politics, Artsakh, Nagorno Karabakh, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Russia, Artsakh Blockade, NATOArtsakh Blockade Flash Update with Gev Iskajyan - Ep 259, June 2, 2023
Armenian News Network Groong - June 2, 2023
Guest:
Topics:
- Current Living and Humanitarian Conditions
- Morale after Pashinyanâs Recognition of Artsakh in Azerbaijan
- How is Artsakh Responding to Aliyevâs Amnesty Threats?
- Moral of the Artsakhtsi Population
- About Artsakh Men Being Denied Transit through Azeri Checkpoints
- Have the Russian Peacekeepers Changed Under Lentsov?
- All Parties are in Breach of the November 2020 Trilateral Ceasefire Agreement
Episode 259 | Recorded: June 2, 2023
Dziunik Aghajanian - on Armenian Diplomacy, Foreign Policy, the Pashinyan Agenda, and Mother Armenia | Ep. 258 - June 1, 2023 [EP258]
Posted on Thursday, Jun 1, 2023 | Category: Armenia, Artsakh, Politics, Relations, Nagorno Karabakh, Azerbaijan, Russia, Turkey, USA, Iran, Armenian Genocide, Artsakh Blockade, European Union, Genocide, NATO, Middle East | Series: cog
Dziunik Aghajanian - on Armenian Diplomacy, Foreign Policy, the Pashinyan Agenda, and Mother Armenia
Guest:
Topics:
- Intro to Ms Aghajanian
- Career path, Mentors, Influencers
- Parting ways with the MFA
- How did Armenia Resist Turkish Pressure prior to 2018
- Impressions of 2018 events
- On Pashinyanâs Policies to Surrender Artsakh
- Letter Planning the Surrender
- Messaging Aliyev to begin Instigations
- Changing Security Doctrine
- The Myth of Western Security Guarantees
- Pashinyanâs Fiction re Alma Ata and Madrid Principles
- On Armeniaâs National Interests
- On Armenian
Dziunik Aghajanian - on Armenian Diplomacy, Foreign Policy, the Pashinyan Agenda, and Mother Armenia | Ep. 258 - June 1, 2023 [EP258]
Posted on Thursday, Jun 1, 2023 | Category: Armenia, Artsakh, Politics, Relations, Nagorno Karabakh, Azerbaijan, Russia, Turkey, USA, Iran, Armenian Genocide, Artsakh Blockade, European Union, Genocide, NATO, Middle EastDziunik Aghajanian - on Armenian Diplomacy, Foreign Policy, the Pashinyan Agenda, and Mother Armenia
Guest:
Topics:
- Intro to Ms Aghajanian
- Career path, Mentors, Influencers
- Parting ways with the MFA
- How did Armenia Resist Turkish Pressure prior to 2018
- Impressions of 2018 events
- On Pashinyanâs Policies to Surrender Artsakh
- Letter Planning the Surrender
- Messaging Aliyev to begin Instigations
- Changing Security Doctrine
- The Myth of Western Security Guarantees
- Pashinyanâs Fiction re Alma Ata and Madrid Principles
- On Armeniaâs National Interests
- On Armenian
Arthur Khachikyan - May 28 | Mother Armenia Movement | Aliyev Threatens, Pashinyan Concedes | Erdogan Reelected | Goodbye CSTO, Hello NATO? | Ep 257 - May 28, 2023 [EP257]
Posted on Monday, May 29, 2023 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Artsakh, Nagorno Karabakh, Azerbaijan, Russia, Armenian Genocide, Turkey, NATO, Genocide, Ukraine, Georgia, Iran | Series: wir
Guest:
Topics:
- Armenia celebrates May 28
- A new political movement, Mother Armenia, was announced.
- Aliyev Threatens, Pashinyan Concedes
- Erdogan Reelected President in Turkey
- Goodbye CSTO, Hello NATO?
Episode 257 | Recorded: May 30, 2023
Arthur Khachikyan - May 28 | Mother Armenia Movement | Aliyev Threatens, Pashinyan Concedes | Erdogan Reelected | Goodbye CSTO, Hello NATO? | Ep 257 - May 28, 2023 [EP257]
Posted on Monday, May 29, 2023 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Artsakh, Nagorno Karabakh, Azerbaijan, Russia, Armenian Genocide, Turkey, NATO, Genocide, Ukraine, Georgia, IranGuest:
Topics:
- Armenia celebrates May 28
- A new political movement, Mother Armenia, was announced.
- Aliyev Threatens, Pashinyan Concedes
- Erdogan Reelected President in Turkey
- Goodbye CSTO, Hello NATO?
Episode 257 | Recorded: May 30, 2023
Negotiations Carousel | Meghri Railway | Rasht-Astara Railway | Kornidzor Rally | Artsakh Politics | Ep 256 - May 21, 2023 [EP256]
Posted on Monday, May 22, 2023 | Category: Armenia, Artsakh, Politics, Nagorno Karabakh, Azerbaijan, Russia, Iran, Artsakh Blockade, Armenian Genocide, India, Genocide, Ukraine, Turkey, Israel, Georgia | Series: wir
Guest:
Topics:
- Accelerated Negotiations
- Negotiations Carousel
- Meghri Railway
- Russia Finances Rasht-Astara
- Rallies in Artsakh and Kornidzor
- Artsakh Domestic Politics
Episode 256 | Recorded: May 22, 2023