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.

Kocharyan Closes In on Pashinyan’s Lead | Pashinyan Visits Europe | (Ep #66) - June 6, 2021 [EP66]

Posted on Sunday, Jun 6, 2021 | Category: Armenia, Russia, Iran, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Artsakh, Syria, Nagorno Karabakh | Series: wir

ANN/Groong Week in Review - June 6, 2021

Topics:

  • Kocharyan Closes in on Pashinyan in Election Polls
  • Pashinyan Visits Europe

Guests:

  • Asbed Kotchikian
  • Emil Sanamyan

Guest(s):

Hosts:

  • Asbed Bedrossian
  • Hovik Manucharyan

Website: https://groong.org/podcasts/WiR-20210606.html

Episode 66 | Recorded: June 6, 2021

Kocharyan Closes In on Pashinyan’s Lead | Pashinyan Visits Europe | (Ep #66) - June 6, 2021 [EP66]

Posted on Sunday, Jun 6, 2021 | Category: Armenia, Russia, Iran, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Artsakh, Syria, Nagorno Karabakh

ANN/Groong Week in Review - June 6, 2021

Topics:

  • Kocharyan Closes in on Pashinyan in Election Polls
  • Pashinyan Visits Europe

Guests:

  • Asbed Kotchikian
  • Emil Sanamyan

Guest(s):

Hosts:

  • Asbed Bedrossian
  • Hovik Manucharyan

Website: https://groong.org/podcasts/WiR-20210606.html

Episode 66 | Recorded: June 6, 2021

Tensions on the Border | Latest IRI & MPG Polls | Election Politics | (Ep #65) - May 30, 2021 [EP65]

Posted on Monday, May 31, 2021 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Poll, Azerbaijan, Russia, Syria, Turkey, Iran, Artsakh, Nagorno Karabakh | Series: wir

ANN/Groong Week in Review - May 30, 2021 Topics:

  • Continued Tensions on the Eastern Border
  • Latest IRI and MPG Polls on the Armenian Elections
  • Election Politics

Guests:

  • Hrant Mikaelian
  • George Tabakyan

Guest(s):

Hosts:

  • Hovik Manucharyan
  • Asbed Bedrossian

Episode 65 | Recorded: May 30, 2021 https://groong.org/podcasts/WiR-20210530.html

Tensions on the Border | Latest IRI & MPG Polls | Election Politics | (Ep #65) - May 30, 2021 [EP65]

Posted on Monday, May 31, 2021 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Poll, Azerbaijan, Russia, Syria, Turkey, Iran, Artsakh, Nagorno Karabakh

ANN/Groong Week in Review - May 30, 2021 Topics:

  • Continued Tensions on the Eastern Border
  • Latest IRI and MPG Polls on the Armenian Elections
  • Election Politics

Guests:

  • Hrant Mikaelian
  • George Tabakyan

Guest(s):

Hosts:

  • Hovik Manucharyan
  • Asbed Bedrossian

Episode 65 | Recorded: May 30, 2021 https://groong.org/podcasts/WiR-20210530.html

A Conversation with Narek Margaryan (Ep 63) - 05/25/2021 [EP63]

Posted on Tuesday, May 25, 2021 | Category: Armenia, Turkey, Genocide, Russia, China, Iran, Armenian Genocide | Series: cog

Guest(s):

A Conversation with Narek Margaryan - 05/25/2021

Guest:

Narek Margaryan is an Armenian comedian, screenwriter and TV host. Along with his co-host Sergey Sargsyan, Narek stars in ArmComedy, a satiric news show series broadcast on Armenian television and on Youtube.

Hosts

Hovik Manucharyan Asbed Bedrossian

Episode 63 | Recorded: April 25, 2021

A Conversation with Narek Margaryan (Ep 63) - 05/25/2021 [EP63]

Posted on Tuesday, May 25, 2021 | Category: Armenia, Turkey, Genocide, Russia, China, Iran, Armenian Genocide

Guest(s):

A Conversation with Narek Margaryan - 05/25/2021

Guest:

Narek Margaryan is an Armenian comedian, screenwriter and TV host. Along with his co-host Sergey Sargsyan, Narek stars in ArmComedy, a satiric news show series broadcast on Armenian television and on Youtube.

Hosts

Hovik Manucharyan Asbed Bedrossian

Episode 63 | Recorded: April 25, 2021

Border Update & Leaks | Azerbaijan in the CSTO? | New Poll & Elections | (Ep #62) - May 23, 2021 [EP62]

Posted on Tuesday, May 25, 2021 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Poll, Azerbaijan, Russia, Georgia, Turkey, Ukraine, China, Iran, Artsakh, Syria, Nagorno Karabakh, NATO | Series: wir

ANN/Groong Week in Review - May 23, 2021

Topics:

  • Border update, and Leaked documents
  • Azerbaijan membership in the CSTO?
  • New MPG Poll on the Armenian Elections

Guest:

  • Emil Sanamyan

Guest(s):

Hosts:

  • Hovik Manucharyan
  • Asbed Bedrossian

Website: https://groong.org/podcasts/WiR-20210523.html Recorded: May 24, 2021

Border Update & Leaks | Azerbaijan in the CSTO? | New Poll & Elections | (Ep #62) - May 23, 2021 [EP62]

Posted on Tuesday, May 25, 2021 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Poll, Azerbaijan, Russia, Georgia, Turkey, Ukraine, China, Iran, Artsakh, Syria, Nagorno Karabakh, NATO

ANN/Groong Week in Review - May 23, 2021

Topics:

  • Border update, and Leaked documents
  • Azerbaijan membership in the CSTO?
  • New MPG Poll on the Armenian Elections

Guest:

  • Emil Sanamyan

Guest(s):

Hosts:

  • Hovik Manucharyan
  • Asbed Bedrossian

Website: https://groong.org/podcasts/WiR-20210523.html Recorded: May 24, 2021

Azerbaijan Incursion in Syunik | Lavrov in Yerevan/Baku | Electoral Politics (Ep #61) May 16, 2021 [EP61]

Posted on Monday, May 17, 2021 | Category: Armenia, Russia, Azerbaijan, Turkey, Georgia, Iran, Ukraine, China, Genocide, India, Israel, Middle East, Nagorno Karabakh, NATO | Series: wir

ANN/Groong Week in Review - May 16, 2021 Topics:

  • Azerbaijan’s Incursion into Syunik
  • Lavrov’s Visit to Yerevan and Baku
  • Electoral Politics

Guests:

  • Tatul Hakobyan
  • Emil Sanamyan
  • Artyom Tonoyan

Guest(s):

Hosts:

  • Hovik Manucharyan @HovikYerevan
  • Asbed Bedrossian @qubriq

Episode 60 | Recorded: May 2, 2021 Website: https://groong.org/podcasts/WiR-20210516.html