OSCE Minsk Group

Last updated: May 29, 2026

The OSCE Minsk Group was the international mediation framework established in 1992 to facilitate a peaceful resolution of the Nagorno Karabakh (Artsakh) conflict. Co-chaired by Russia, France, and the United States, it was the primary diplomatic channel for Armenia-Azerbaijan negotiations for nearly three decades until Azerbaijan declared the group obsolete following the 2020 war. Central to the Minsk Group’s mandate was the question of self-determination: the Armenians of Nagorno Karabakh sought recognition of their right to self-determination, and the framework’s ultimate failure to reconcile that claim with Azerbaijan’s insistence on territorial integrity is a key reason no settlement was reached before the outbreak of the 44-Day War.

Groong episodes covering the OSCE Minsk Group examine its history, the reasons its framework ultimately failed to produce a settlement before the outbreak of the 44-Day War, Azerbaijan’s rejection of the group following its 2020 military victory, and the subsequent shift of negotiations to bilateral Armenia-Azerbaijan talks mediated variously by Russia, the European Union, and the United States. The fate of the Minsk Group represents a broader question about the role of multilateral institutions in managing frozen conflicts in the post-Soviet space.

Topics:

  • Trump, China, and Iran
  • Armenia-Russia “soft divorce”
  • Pashinyan’s violent campaign rhetoric
  • State resources and election pressure
  • Javakhk church vandalism concerns

Episode 547 | Recorded: May 18, 2026

#Pashinyan #ArmeniaElections #ArmenianPolitics #PoliticalViolence #HateSpeech #ArmeniaRussia #IranWar #SouthCaucasus

Guest:

Mr. Balian’s book: https://www.amazon.com/Anatomy-Peacemaking-Nagorno-Karabakh-Opportunities-Rethinking/dp/3032124891

Topics:

  • US-Iran war and failed diplomacy
  • TRIPP and Armenia’s security risks
  • Karabakh negotiations and missed chances
  • Pashinyan’s Artsakh policy reversal
  • Armenia’s June elections and monitoring

Episode 538 | Recorded: April 30, 2026

#HrairBalian #Groong #Armenia #Artsakh #NagornoKarabakh #TRIPP #ZangezurCorridor #ArmenianElections

Guest:

Topics:

  • Strong Armenia and election dynamics
  • New arrests and political pressure
  • Artsakh Armenians and their rights
  • TRIPP corridor and regional security

Episode 537 | Recorded: April 27, 2026

#Armenia #Artsakh #StrongArmenia #AregaHovsepyan #ArmenianPolitics #SouthCaucasus #TRIPP #ZangezurCorridor #Geopolitics

Guest:

Topics:

  • Defining the “Canceling Russia” phenomenon
  • The “cancel Russia” lobby
  • Containment shifts to coercive transformation
  • Russian Orthodox Church as battleground
  • Kremlin “towers” and civilizational logic

Episode 514 | Recorded: February 4, 2026

#CancelingRussia #RussianForeignPolicy #UkraineWar #StateCivilization #TowersOfTheKremlin #RussianOrthodoxChurch

Guest:

Topics:

  • 1988 Earthquake Remembered
  • Pashinyan’s War on the Armenian Church
  • EU-Armenia Relations
  • Nagorno-Karabakh Negotiation Documents
  • ARAR Foundation Poll

Episode 494 | Recorded: December 8, 2025

#ArmenianChurch #NSS #Pashinyan #ArarPoll #ArmeniaEU

Guest:

Topics:

  • OSCE MG Dissolved
  • Libaridian on Submitting to Turkey and Azerbaijan
  • News Constitution to be Drafted by March 2026
  • Archbishops, Letters, Attacks on the Church
  • Border Commissions Meet in Baku
  • Comments from Jacob Pursley

Episode 493 | Recorded: December 2, 2025

Guest:

Topics:

  • High-Stakes Ukraine Talks
  • Armenia’s Growing Political Detentions
  • Pashinyan Honored In Kazakhstan
  • Rising Pressure On The Church
  • Impeachment vs. Elections
  • Pashinyan Seizes Power Grid

Episode 488 | Recorded: November 24, 2025

Guest:

Topics:

  • Nov 9: 44-Day War 5 years Hence
  • Ukraine and Iran-Israel Conflicts
  • Pres. Serge Sargsyan’s Interview
  • Pres. Robert Kocharyan’s Interview
  • Narek Karapetyan on Tucker Carlson

Episode 484 | Recorded: November 10, 2025

Guest:

Topics:

  • Aliyev pushes “Zangezur Corridor” at OTS
  • Pashinyan pitches “Trump Route” at CIS
  • Putin–Aliyev meeting eases tensions
  • Armenia’s opposition gears up for 2026

Episode 478 | Recorded: October 14, 2025