Robert Kocharyan

Last updated: May 29, 2026

Robert Kocharyan served as President of Armenia from 1998 to 2008, making him the second president of the post-Soviet republic. Before that he served as President of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic from 1994 to 1997 and as Prime Minister of Armenia. His decade in power shaped the political and economic landscape of the country and its approach to the Nagorno Karabakh conflict.

After leaving the presidency, Kocharyan faced criminal prosecution under the Pashinyan government on charges related to the March 2008 post-election crackdown, a case that became a focal point of the political struggle between the ruling party and the opposition. He was eventually acquitted and returned to active political life as the leader of the Armenia Alliance (Hayastan Dashinq), an opposition coalition that includes the ARF and other forces.

With more than 60 episodes of coverage, Groong has followed Kocharyan’s legal battles, his political comeback, his leadership of the opposition coalition, and the Armenia Alliance’s positions on the Nagorno Karabakh conflict, the peace process with Azerbaijan, and Armenia’s geopolitical orientation. He is one of the central figures in the contest for power heading into the June 2026 parliamentary elections.

Arthur Khachatryan - Artsakh Negotiations, Armenian Domestic Politics | Ep 455, Jul 27, 2025 [EP455]

Posted on Sunday, Jul 27, 2025 | Category: Georgia, Politics, Artsakh, Nagorno Karabakh, Azerbaijan, Armenian Church, Armenia, Russia, Turkey, Human Rights, Ukraine, Genocide | Series: cog

Guest:

Topics:

  • Artsakh Negotiations
  • Armenian Domestic Politics

Episode 455 | Recorded: July 25, 2025

Levon Zourabian - US-Iran, Russia-Ukraine, Armenia-Azerbaijan, 2026 Campaigns | Ep 439, May 26, 2025 [EP439]

Posted on Tuesday, May 27, 2025 | Category: Armenia, Geopolitics, Iran, Russia, Ukraine, Israel, Azerbaijan, Economy, Turkey, Middle East, European Union, Genocide | Series: cog, video

Guest:

  • Levon Zourabian, Vice-President of the Armenian National Congress (ANC) party of Armenia.

Topics:

  • US-Iran Nuclear Talks
  • Russia and Ukraine
  • Armenia Azerbaijan Talks
  • Armenian Elections in 2026

Episode 439 | Recorded: May 23, 2025

Hrant Mikaelian - Tirana, Lavrov, Armenian Un-Democracy, Demilitarization, and More | Ep 438, May 18, 2025 [EP438]

Posted on Friday, May 23, 2025 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Vatican, Artsakh, Nagorno Karabakh, Azerbaijan, Turkey, Russia, Iran, Ukraine, India, European Union, Israel, Genocide, Georgia | Series: wir

Guest:

Topics:

  • Pashinyan in Tirana
  • Russia’s Lavrov in Yerevan
  • Democracy in Jeopardy
  • Armenia’s Demilitarization by Any Other Name
  • The Kitchen Sink

Episode 438 | Recorded: May 21, 2025

Hrant Mikaelian - Abkhazia Polls, Armenian Hostages in Baku, Yerevan Protests | Ep 421, Mar 2, 2025 [EP421]

Posted on Wednesday, Mar 5, 2025 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Artsakh, Azerbaijan, Geopolitics, Human Rights, Russia, Nagorno Karabakh, Georgia, Turkey, Ukraine, Iran, China, Israel, Middle East | Series: wir

Guest:

Topics:

  • Abkhaz Elections & Regional Implications – The second round of Abkhazia’s presidential elections, the impact of mass protests, and what Badra Gunba’s victory means for the region.
  • Armenian Hostages in Baku – Ongoing trials of Armenian POWs and former Artsakh leaders, reports of torture, and international calls for independent medical evaluations.
  • Protests in Yerevan Over POWs – Civil society and opposition-led demonstrations demanding stronger government action and international intervention.
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Harut Sassounian - Billionaire Kirk Kerkorian’s Benevolent Engagement with Armenia | Ep 409, Feb 2, 2025 [EP409]

Posted on Sunday, Feb 2, 2025 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Nagorno Karabakh, Iran, Georgia, Genocide, Israel, Economy | Series: cog

Guest:

Topics:

  • Who was Kirk Kerkorian?
  • How Kerkorian Discovered Armenia
  • Investing in Armenia
  • End of Investments and Death of Kerkorian

Episode 409 | Recorded: January 21, 2025

Giro Manoyan - The ARF in Armenia’s Politics | Ep 364 - Sep 16, 2024 [EP364]

Posted on Monday, Sep 16, 2024 | Category: Armenia, Artsakh, Nagorno Karabakh, Azerbaijan, Economy, Diaspora, Russia, Iran, Turkey, Ukraine, Genocide, Georgia | Series: cog

Guest:

Topics:

  • Role of the Opposition
  • Relations with the Tavush Movement
  • Relations with the Diaspora

Episode 364 | Recorded: September 13, 2024

Arman Grigoryan - Armenia's Misguided Pivot to the West, Turkish Involvement in Second Karabakh War, Corridors | Ep 349 - August 1, 2024 [EP349]

Posted on Thursday, Aug 1, 2024 | Category: Armenia, Turkey, Artsakh, Nagorno Karabakh, Russia, Azerbaijan, Ukraine, NATO, Israel, China, Human Rights, Georgia, Iran, Middle East | Series: cog

Guest:

Topics:

  • Revolutionary Mistakes
  • Nov. 9 Statement, Corridors, Communications
  • Misguided Pivot
  • Turkish Involvement in the 44-Day War

Episode 349 | Recorded: July 31, 2024

Levon Zourabian - Armenian National Congress | Democracy and Armenia | Negotiations with Azerbaijan | Artsakh | Global Conflicts | Ep 290 - Oct 29, 2023 [EP290]

Posted on Sunday, Oct 29, 2023 | Category: Armenia, Artsakh, Video, Israel, Nagorno Karabakh, Azerbaijan, Russia, Genocide, Ukraine, Iran, European Union, NATO, Economy, Turkey, China, Georgia | Series: cog, video

Guest:

Topics:

  • Armenian National Congress (ANC)
  • Democracy and Armenia
  • Azerbaijan-Armenia Negotiations
  • Artsakh
  • Global Conflicts - Israel, Ukraine

Episode 290 | Recorded: October 27, 2023

Armenian Genocide Anniversary | Artsakh In Stranglehold | Israel-Azerbaijan [EP249]

Posted on Tuesday, Apr 25, 2023 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Turkey, Russia, Iran, Israel, Armenian Genocide, Nagorno Karabakh, Artsakh Blockade, Genocide, China, Human Rights, India, Lebanon, Middle East, Syria, Ukraine, European Union | Series: wir

Guest:

Topics:

  • Armenian Genocide: 108 Anniversary
  • Azerbaijan Strangles Artsakh
    • Artsakh Strangled
    • International Community
    • Pashinyan’s Parliament Speech
    • Madrid Principles
    • Aliyev Continues Threats, Ultimatum to Artsakh Armenians
    • What Can Diaspora Do?
  • Israel - Azerbaijan cooperation against Iran?
  • Rants

Episode 249 | Recorded: April 25, 2023