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.

“Positive Messages” | Street Rallies | Election Setbacks | Siradeghyan Dies | Ep #94 - Oct 24, 2021 [EP94]

Posted on Monday, Oct 25, 2021 | Category: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Russia, Artsakh, Iran, Human Rights, Georgia, Turkey, China, Nagorno Karabakh

ANN/Groong Week in Review - October 24, 2021

Topics:

  • Yerevan’s “Positive Messages”
  • Opposition Going Back to Street Rallies?
  • Ruling Party Setbacks in Local Elections
  • Vano Siradeghyan Dies

Guests:

  • Tevan Poghosyan TW/@TevanPoghosyan

Guest(s):

Hosts:

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

Episode 94 | Recorded: October 25, 2021 Website: https://groong.org/podcasts/WiR-20211024.html

Armenia’s Diplomacy and Corridors Politics | Ep. 93 - Oct 19, 2021 [EP93]

Posted on Tuesday, Oct 19, 2021 | Category: Armenia, Artsakh, Azerbaijan, Nagorno Karabakh, Iran, Turkey, Economy, India, Russia, Georgia, China, Syria | Series: cog

Armenia’s Diplomacy and Corridor Politics

Topics:

  • In the past month a flurry of diplomatic activity has risen around Armenia. The top diplomats from neighboring countries, regional and global powers have met with Armenia’s top leadership to discuss the shifting geopolitics reshaping the South Caucasus politically and economically for the coming decades. How is Armenia’s diplomacy navigating the “Corridor Politics” and what are the prospects for a peaceful neighborhood?

Guest:

Episode 93 | Recorded: October 18, 2021

Armenia’s Diplomacy and Corridors Politics | Ep. 93 - Oct 19, 2021 [EP93]

Posted on Tuesday, Oct 19, 2021 | Category: Armenia, Artsakh, Azerbaijan, Nagorno Karabakh, Iran, Turkey, Economy, India, Russia, Georgia, China, Syria

Armenia’s Diplomacy and Corridor Politics

Topics:

  • In the past month a flurry of diplomatic activity has risen around Armenia. The top diplomats from neighboring countries, regional and global powers have met with Armenia’s top leadership to discuss the shifting geopolitics reshaping the South Caucasus politically and economically for the coming decades. How is Armenia’s diplomacy navigating the “Corridor Politics” and what are the prospects for a peaceful neighborhood?

Guest:

Episode 93 | Recorded: October 18, 2021

Flurry of Diplomacy | Regional Results | Vaccine Update | Trust in Gov Info | Ep #92 - Oct 17, 2021 [EP92]

Posted on Tuesday, Oct 19, 2021 | Category: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Iran, Turkey, Georgia, Economy, Russia, Syria, Artsakh, India, Israel, Lebanon, Middle East, Ukraine, Nagorno Karabakh | Series: wir

ANN/Groong Week in Review - October 17, 2021

Topics:

  • A Flurry of Diplomatic Activity
  • Results from Tavush, Shirak and Syunik
  • Vaccination in Armenia
  • Trust in the Authorities about Information from Border Areas

Guests:

  • Hrant Mikaelian TW/@hrant_m

Guest(s):

Hosts:

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

Episode 92 | Recorded: October 18, 2021 Website: https://groong.org/podcasts/WiR-20211017.html

Flurry of Diplomacy | Regional Results | Vaccine Update | Trust in Gov Info | Ep #92 - Oct 17, 2021 [EP92]

Posted on Tuesday, Oct 19, 2021 | Category: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Iran, Turkey, Georgia, Economy, Russia, Syria, Artsakh, India, Israel, Lebanon, Middle East, Ukraine, Nagorno Karabakh

ANN/Groong Week in Review - October 17, 2021

Topics:

  • A Flurry of Diplomatic Activity
  • Results from Tavush, Shirak and Syunik
  • Vaccination in Armenia
  • Trust in the Authorities about Information from Border Areas

Guests:

  • Hrant Mikaelian TW/@hrant_m

Guest(s):

Hosts:

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

Episode 92 | Recorded: October 18, 2021 Website: https://groong.org/podcasts/WiR-20211017.html

One-year anniversary of Artsakh War | Can the Opposition Reorg | TARC 2.0 | Ep 90 - Sep 26, 2021 [EP90]

Posted on Sunday, Sep 26, 2021 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Turkey, Russia, Nagorno Karabakh, Armenian Genocide, Genocide, Economy, China, Syria | Series: wir

Guest:

  • Tevan Poghosyan , is president of the International Center for Human Development in Yerevan. Mr. Poghosyan was an MP in the National Assembly between 2012 and 2017 from the Heritage party. From 1997 to 1999 he served as the Nagorno-Karabakh Public Affairs Office Director in Washington, D.C.

Topic:

  • The One-year anniversary of The War in Artsakh
  • Can the Opposition Reorganize?
  • Turkish-Armenian Possible Rapprochement

Episode 90 | Recorded: September 27, 2021

One-year anniversary of Artsakh War | Can the Opposition Reorg | TARC 2.0 | Ep 90 - Sep 26, 2021 [EP90]

Posted on Sunday, Sep 26, 2021 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Turkey, Russia, Nagorno Karabakh, Armenian Genocide, Genocide, Economy, China, Syria

Guest:

  • Tevan Poghosyan , is president of the International Center for Human Development in Yerevan. Mr. Poghosyan was an MP in the National Assembly between 2012 and 2017 from the Heritage party. From 1997 to 1999 he served as the Nagorno-Karabakh Public Affairs Office Director in Washington, D.C.

Topic:

  • The One-year anniversary of The War in Artsakh
  • Can the Opposition Reorganize?
  • Turkish-Armenian Possible Rapprochement

Episode 90 | Recorded: September 27, 2021

Independence Day | Pashinyan's Turkish Overtures | Goris-Kapan Highway | Ep #89 - Sep 19, 2021 [EP89]

Posted on Tuesday, Sep 21, 2021 | Category: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Turkey, Iran, Russia, Georgia, Artsakh, Ukraine, Economy, Genocide, Israel, Nagorno Karabakh, Artsakh Blockade, Armenian Genocide, European Union | Series: wir

Guest(s):

ANN/Groong Week in Review - September 19, 2021

Topics:

  • Independence Day
  • Pashinyan’s Turkish overtures
  • Goris-Kapan highway

Guests:

  • Dr. Pietro Shakarian

Host:

  • Hovik Manucharyan

Episode #89 | Recorded: September 20, 2021 Website: https://groong.org/podcasts/WiR-20210919.html

Independence Day | Pashinyan's Turkish Overtures | Goris-Kapan Highway | Ep #89 - Sep 19, 2021 [EP89]

Posted on Tuesday, Sep 21, 2021 | Category: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Turkey, Iran, Russia, Georgia, Artsakh, Ukraine, Economy, Genocide, Israel, Nagorno Karabakh, Artsakh Blockade, Armenian Genocide, European Union

Guest(s):

ANN/Groong Week in Review - September 19, 2021

Topics:

  • Independence Day
  • Pashinyan’s Turkish overtures
  • Goris-Kapan highway

Guests:

  • Dr. Pietro Shakarian

Host:

  • Hovik Manucharyan

Episode #89 | Recorded: September 20, 2021 Website: https://groong.org/podcasts/WiR-20210919.html