Nikol Pashinyan

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.

Color Me Kazakhstan | Expectations From 1st Normalization Meeting on Friday | Ep #112 - Jan 9, 2022 [EP112]

Posted on Tuesday, Jan 11, 2022 | Category: Russia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Turkey, Ukraine, Iran, Georgia, Geopolitics, USA, China, Human Rights, Economy, Nagorno Karabakh, European Union, NATO, Syria, India | Series: wir

ANN/Groong Week in Review - January 9, 2022

Topics:

Color Me Kazakhstan
Turkish-Armenian Normalization Meeting on January 14

Guests:

Benyamin Poghosyan TW/@Benyamin_Poghos
Pietro Shakarian

Guest(s):

Benyamin Poghosyan

Hosts:

Asbed Bedrossian TW/@qubriq
Hovik Manucharyan TW/@HovikYerevan

Episode 112 | Recorded: Sunday, January 9, 2022 Website: https://groong.org/podcasts/WiR-20220109.html

Color Me Kazakhstan | Expectations From 1st Normalization Meeting on Friday | Ep #112 - Jan 9, 2022 [EP112]

ANN/Groong Week in Review - January 9, 2022

Topics:

Color Me Kazakhstan
Turkish-Armenian Normalization Meeting on January 14

Guests:

Benyamin Poghosyan TW/@Benyamin_Poghos
Pietro Shakarian

Guest(s):

Benyamin Poghosyan

Hosts:

Asbed Bedrossian TW/@qubriq
Hovik Manucharyan TW/@HovikYerevan

Episode 112 | Recorded: Sunday, January 9, 2022 Website: https://groong.org/podcasts/WiR-20220109.html

Turkish Armenian Normalization - Conversation with Harut Sassounian | Ep #111 - Jan 9, 2022 [EP111]

Posted on Sunday, Jan 9, 2022 | Category: Armenia, Turkey, Azerbaijan, Genocide, Russia, Israel, Artsakh, Economy, Armenian Genocide, Human Rights, Armenian Church, Georgia, Syria, Nagorno Karabakh, Artsakh Blockade, European Union, NATO | Series: cog

Turkish-Armenian Normalization Negotiations A Conversation with Harut Sassounian

Harut Sassounian has been the publisher of The California Courier newspaper since 1983. He is also the President of the Armenia Artsakh Fund, a non-profit organization which has delivered to Armenia and Artsakh $947 million of humanitarian assistance since 1989. He is currently engaged in forming the Diaspora Armenian Parliament through local elections.

Topics:

History of Turkish-Armenian Attempts at Negotiations
Who are The Players?
Why Now? What’s on the Agenda?
What are the Pitfalls and Opportunities?

Turkish Armenian Normalization - Conversation with Harut Sassounian | Ep #111 - Jan 9, 2022 [EP111]

Turkish-Armenian Normalization Negotiations A Conversation with Harut Sassounian

Harut Sassounian has been the publisher of The California Courier newspaper since 1983. He is also the President of the Armenia Artsakh Fund, a non-profit organization which has delivered to Armenia and Artsakh $947 million of humanitarian assistance since 1989. He is currently engaged in forming the Diaspora Armenian Parliament through local elections.

Topics: