Russia

Groong episodes that include this tag

Below are all Groong episodes tagged with Russia.

From Yerablur to Etchmiadzin: Armenia’s Battle Over Memory | Ep 591, Sep 27, 2026 [EP591]

Posted on Thursday, Oct 1, 2026 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Geopolitics | Series: wir, video

Topics:

  • September 27 war anniversary and memory
  • Pashinyan escalates campaign against Church
  • PACE raises concerns over elections
  • Armenia, Turkey, Azerbaijan at UNGA
  • Witkoff reveals Turkish regional advisers
  • Opposition faces post-election divisions
  • Arrests and prosecutions over speech
  • France and Azerbaijan move toward normalization

Episode 591 | Recorded: September 27, 2026

From Yerablur to Etchmiadzin: Armenia’s Battle Over Memory | Ep 591, Sep 27, 2026 [EP591]

Posted on Thursday, Oct 1, 2026 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Geopolitics

Topics:

  • September 27 war anniversary and memory
  • Pashinyan escalates campaign against Church
  • PACE raises concerns over elections
  • Armenia, Turkey, Azerbaijan at UNGA
  • Witkoff reveals Turkish regional advisers
  • Opposition faces post-election divisions
  • Arrests and prosecutions over speech
  • France and Azerbaijan move toward normalization

Episode 591 | Recorded: September 27, 2026

Transcript: From Yerablur to Etchmiadzin: Armenia’s Battle Over Memory | Ep 591, Sep 27, 2026 [EP591]

Posted on Thursday, Oct 1, 2026 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Geopolitics, Transcript

In this week’s Groong Week in Review, Hovik and Asbed mark the sixth anniversary of the 44-Day War and examine Armenia’s deepening crisis over historical memory and national identity. We discuss the Armenian government’s controversial response to September 27 commemorations, escalating tension between the state and the Armenian Church, international concern over election integrity, and Armenia’s isolated position as Azerbaijan demolishes Artsakh’s Armenian cultural heritage while Turkey advances regional integration plans.

Dziunik Aghajanian - From Moscow to Riyadh: New Fault Lines Around Armenia | Ep 590, Sep 25, 2026 [EP590]

Posted on Friday, Sep 25, 2026 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Geopolitics | Series: cog, video

Guest(s):

Topics:

  • Russian parliamentary election outcome
  • Middle East escalation and the Houthis
  • Armenia-Russia confrontation, including the 102nd base
  • Asset confiscation, anti-corruption, and Russian interests
  • Azerbaijan-Armenia “durable peace” tensions
  • Armenian opposition strategy

Episode 590 | Recorded: September 23, 2026

#Armenia #Russia #SouthCaucasus #Azerbaijan #MiddleEast #UkraineWar #ArmenianPolitics #Geopolitics

Dziunik Aghajanian - From Moscow to Riyadh: New Fault Lines Around Armenia | Ep 590, Sep 25, 2026 [EP590]

Posted on Friday, Sep 25, 2026 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Geopolitics

Guest(s):

Topics:

  • Russian parliamentary election outcome
  • Middle East escalation and the Houthis
  • Armenia-Russia confrontation, including the 102nd base
  • Asset confiscation, anti-corruption, and Russian interests
  • Azerbaijan-Armenia “durable peace” tensions
  • Armenian opposition strategy

Episode 590 | Recorded: September 23, 2026

#Armenia #Russia #SouthCaucasus #Azerbaijan #MiddleEast #UkraineWar #ArmenianPolitics #Geopolitics

Transcript: Dziunik Aghajanian - From Moscow to Riyadh: New Fault Lines Around Armenia | Ep 590, Sep 25, 2026 [EP590]

Posted on Friday, Sep 25, 2026 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Geopolitics, Transcript

In this episode of Conversations on Groong, we speak with Dziunik Aghajanian about shifting geopolitical pressures on Armenia following Russia’s September 2026 parliamentary elections. We discuss Putin’s strengthened domestic position, the Armenia-Russia confrontation over the 102nd base, asset confiscation and anti-corruption efforts targeting Russian interests, and how Middle East escalation and the Iran War reshape Armenia’s strategic environment amid ongoing Armenia-Azerbaijan Peace Process tensions.

Armenia at 35: Independence, Loss, and Unfinished Wars | Ep 588, Sep 20, 2026 [EP588]

Posted on Wednesday, Sep 23, 2026 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Geopolitics | Series: wir, video

Topics:

  • Armenia marks 35 years independent
  • Artsakh remembered three years later
  • Armenian POWs remain in Baku
  • Ukraine strikes deep inside Russia
  • Turkey-Azerbaijan deepen strategic coordination
  • Citizenship costs rise sharply
  • Government opacity over war casualties

Episode 588 | Recorded: September 22, 2026

#Armenia #Artsakh #UkraineWar #ArmenianPOWs #Azerbaijan #Turkey #SouthCaucasus #ArmenianPolitics

Armenia at 35: Independence, Loss, and Unfinished Wars | Ep 588, Sep 20, 2026 [EP588]

Posted on Wednesday, Sep 23, 2026 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Geopolitics

Topics:

  • Armenia marks 35 years independent
  • Artsakh remembered three years later
  • Armenian POWs remain in Baku
  • Ukraine strikes deep inside Russia
  • Turkey-Azerbaijan deepen strategic coordination
  • Citizenship costs rise sharply
  • Government opacity over war casualties

Episode 588 | Recorded: September 22, 2026

#Armenia #Artsakh #UkraineWar #ArmenianPOWs #Azerbaijan #Turkey #SouthCaucasus #ArmenianPolitics

Transcript: Armenia at 35: Independence, Loss, and Unfinished Wars | Ep 588, Sep 20, 2026 [EP588]

Posted on Wednesday, Sep 23, 2026 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Geopolitics, Transcript

In this week’s Groong podcast episode, Hovik and Asbed reflect on Armenia’s 35th independence anniversary amid ongoing regional tensions and unresolved conflicts. We discuss the state of Armenian statehood three years after the ethnic cleansing of Artsakh, Armenian prisoners of war still held in Baku, rising citizenship costs, government opacity over war casualties, and deepening Turkey-Azerbaijan strategic coordination.

Hrant Mikaelian - Chips for TRIPP, Education Crisis, and Economic Risks | Ep 586, Sep 17, 2026 [EP586]

Posted on Friday, Sep 18, 2026 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Geopolitics | Series: cog, video

Guest(s):

Topics:

  • AI chips tied to TRIPP diplomacy
  • Data centers raise major energy questions
  • Armenia faces severe education outcomes
  • Government reforms versus poor student performance
  • Azerbaijan targets Armenian heritage in Artsakh
  • Gas dependence exposes Armenia to shocks

Episode 586 | Recorded: September 16, 2026

#Armenia #TRIPP #ArtificialIntelligence #EducationCrisis #Artsakh #EnergySecurity #SouthCaucasus #HrantMikaelian

Hrant Mikaelian - Chips for TRIPP, Education Crisis, and Economic Risks | Ep 586, Sep 17, 2026 [EP586]

Posted on Friday, Sep 18, 2026 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Geopolitics

Guest(s):

Topics:

  • AI chips tied to TRIPP diplomacy
  • Data centers raise major energy questions
  • Armenia faces severe education outcomes
  • Government reforms versus poor student performance
  • Azerbaijan targets Armenian heritage in Artsakh
  • Gas dependence exposes Armenia to shocks

Episode 586 | Recorded: September 16, 2026

#Armenia #TRIPP #ArtificialIntelligence #EducationCrisis #Artsakh #EnergySecurity #SouthCaucasus #HrantMikaelian

Transcript: Hrant Mikaelian - Chips for TRIPP, Education Crisis, and Economic Risks | Ep 586, Sep 17, 2026 [EP586]

Posted on Friday, Sep 18, 2026 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Geopolitics, Transcript

In this episode of Conversations on Groong, we speak with Hrant Mikaelian about chip diplomacy, the TRIPP framework, and Armenia’s structural economic vulnerabilities. We discuss how the U.S. fast-tracked advanced AI exports to secure the Armenia-Azerbaijan Peace Process agreement, the massive energy demands of the planned Firebird data center, Armenia’s deepening education crisis, and the risks of energy dependence as the Armenian Nuclear Power Plant approaches shutdown.

Gandzasar Erasure, Chips for Territory, Russian Money & Pashinyan in Space | Ep 585, Sep 13, 2026 [EP585]

Posted on Wednesday, Sep 16, 2026 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Geopolitics | Series: wir, video

Topics:

  • 2022 border war and its legacy
  • Hajiyev spouts hate, EU reps giggle
  • Armenia’s muted response to Azerbaijan
  • TRIPP, NVIDIA chips, and sovereignty
  • Pashinyan’s Paris space summit visit
  • Russian money flows through Armenia
  • Russia-Iran coordination in South Caucasus
  • Political prosecutions and Grigoryan reshuffle

Episode 585 | Recorded: September 14, 2026

#Armenia #Artsakh #Gandzasar #TRIPP #SouthCaucasus #Azerbaijan #Russia #Iran

Gandzasar Erasure, Chips for Territory, Russian Money & Pashinyan in Space | Ep 585, Sep 13, 2026 [EP585]

Posted on Wednesday, Sep 16, 2026 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Geopolitics

Topics:

  • 2022 border war and its legacy
  • Hajiyev spouts hate, EU reps giggle
  • Armenia’s muted response to Azerbaijan
  • TRIPP, NVIDIA chips, and sovereignty
  • Pashinyan’s Paris space summit visit
  • Russian money flows through Armenia
  • Russia-Iran coordination in South Caucasus
  • Political prosecutions and Grigoryan reshuffle

Episode 585 | Recorded: September 14, 2026

#Armenia #Artsakh #Gandzasar #TRIPP #SouthCaucasus #Azerbaijan #Russia #Iran

Transcript: Gandzasar Erasure, Chips for Territory, Russian Money & Pashinyan in Space | Ep 585, Sep 13, 2026 [EP585]

Posted on Wednesday, Sep 16, 2026 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Geopolitics, Transcript

In this Groong Week in Review episode, Hovik and Asbed examine the fourth anniversary of the September 2022 border war, Azerbaijan’s ongoing occupation of Armenian territory, and Pashinyan’s political trajectory toward recognizing Artsakh’s loss. We discuss Hajiyev’s inflammatory rhetoric, Armenia’s muted diplomatic response, TRIPP and semiconductor sovereignty, Pashinyan’s attendance at a Paris space summit, Russian financial flows through Armenia, and Russia-Iran coordination in the South Caucasus.

Groong News Digest — Week of August 31–6, 2026

Posted on Sunday, Sep 6, 2026 | Category: Digest, News Digest

Armenia navigates complex regional diplomacy as Pashinyan meets Putin on EU ties, discusses TRIPP corridor implementation, while prisoner rights concerns and domestic political tensions escalate.

Groong Podcast Digest — Week of August 31–6, 2026

Posted on Sunday, Sep 6, 2026 | Category: Digest, Podcast Digest

Hovik and Asbed examine Armenia’s precarious position at the SCO Summit amid Russian escalation in Ukraine, unprecedented Western diplomatic visits to Moscow, renewed US-Iran conflict, and Pashinyan’s meetings with regional leaders while former Artsakh presidents languish in detention and selective political prosecutions continue. Suren Sargsyan examines Washington’s unclear endgame in the Iran War, Russia’s military presence in Armenia amid great-power competition, and the competing U.S. and European stakes in TRIPP and Central Asian transit routes.

Armenia Has No Plan B if TRIPP Fails [EP583]

Posted on Saturday, Sep 5, 2026 | Category: Geopolitics, Armenia, Politics

Suren Sargsyan warns that Pashinyan’s government has developed no contingency plans if the U.S.-backed TRIPP project fails, leaving the country dangerously exposed.

Can Armenia Avoid Choosing Sides Between Russia and the West? [EP583]

Posted on Saturday, Sep 5, 2026 | Category: Geopolitics, Armenia

Suren Sargsyan argues that Armenia’s best survival strategy is to avoid picking sides in the Russia-West rivalry, despite mounting pressure from both sides.

Suren Sargsyan - Central Asia, TRIPP, Iran, and Armenia in the New Great Game | Ep 583, Sep 5, 2026 [EP583]

Posted on Saturday, Sep 5, 2026 | Category: Armenia, Geopolitics | Series: cog, video

Guest(s):

Topics:

  • U.S. objectives in the Iran war
  • Russia’s 102nd base in Armenia
  • Pashinyan’s sovereignty policy contradictions
  • Great-power rivalry across Central Asia
  • U.S. and EU interests in TRIPP
  • Armenia’s place in Eurasian competition

Episode 583 | Recorded: Sep 4, 2026

#Armenia #IranWar #TRIPP #CentralAsia #Russia #UnitedStates #Geopolitics #SouthCaucasus

Suren Sargsyan - Central Asia, TRIPP, Iran, and Armenia in the New Great Game | Ep 583, Sep 5, 2026 [EP583]

Posted on Saturday, Sep 5, 2026 | Category: Armenia, Geopolitics

Guest(s):

Topics:

  • U.S. objectives in the Iran war
  • Russia’s 102nd base in Armenia
  • Pashinyan’s sovereignty policy contradictions
  • Great-power rivalry across Central Asia
  • U.S. and EU interests in TRIPP
  • Armenia’s place in Eurasian competition

Episode 583 | Recorded: Sep 4, 2026

#Armenia #IranWar #TRIPP #CentralAsia #Russia #UnitedStates #Geopolitics #SouthCaucasus

Why Putin and Pashinyan Both Avoid Deciding on Russian Military Base [EP583]

Posted on Saturday, Sep 5, 2026 | Category: Geopolitics, Politics, Armenia, Russia

Suren Sargsyan analyzes why both Putin and Pashinyan publicly defer the decision on the 102nd Russian military base in Gyumri, avoiding responsibility while maintaining the status quo.

Why Russia Might Outsource South Caucasus Control to Iran [EP583]

Posted on Saturday, Sep 5, 2026 | Category: Geopolitics, Russia, Iran, Armenia

Suren Sargsyan explores whether Russia might cede South Caucasus dominance to Iran as a strategic partner, given Moscow’s focus on Ukraine.

Transcript: Suren Sargsyan - Central Asia, TRIPP, Iran, and Armenia in the New Great Game | Ep 583, Sep 5, 2026 [EP583]

Posted on Saturday, Sep 5, 2026 | Category: Armenia, Geopolitics, Transcript

In this episode of Conversations on Groong, we speak with Suren Sargsyan about the Iran War and great power competition for Armenia’s strategic position. We discuss Washington’s unclear endgame in the conflict with Iran, the future of Russia’s military presence in Armenia and CSTO membership, and competing U.S. and European interests in new east-west transit routes through Armenia and Central Asia amid broader geopolitical rivalries.

Armenia at the SCO Summit as Ukraine and Iran Wars Intensify | Ep 582, Aug 30, 2026 [EP582]

Posted on Wednesday, Sep 2, 2026 | Series: wir, video

Topics:

  • Russia Escalates War Against Ukraine
  • Unprecedented Western Visits to Moscow
  • US-Iran War Flares Again
  • All Artsakh Presidents Behind Bars
  • Armenia at the SCO Summit
  • Pashinyan Meets Aliyev, Putin, Modi
  • Political Persecutions and Selective Justice

Episode 582 | Recorded: September 1, 2026

#Armenia #Artsakh #UkraineWar #IranWar #SCO #Pashinyan #SouthCaucasus #ArmenianPolitics

Armenia at the SCO Summit as Ukraine and Iran Wars Intensify | Ep 582, Aug 30, 2026 [EP582]

Posted on Wednesday, Sep 2, 2026

Topics:

  • Russia Escalates War Against Ukraine
  • Unprecedented Western Visits to Moscow
  • US-Iran War Flares Again
  • All Artsakh Presidents Behind Bars
  • Armenia at the SCO Summit
  • Pashinyan Meets Aliyev, Putin, Modi
  • Political Persecutions and Selective Justice

Episode 582 | Recorded: September 1, 2026

#Armenia #Artsakh #UkraineWar #IranWar #SCO #Pashinyan #SouthCaucasus #ArmenianPolitics

Russia-NATO Proxy War or the Early Days of World War III? [EP582]

Posted on Wednesday, Sep 2, 2026 | Category: Geopolitics, Ukraine, Russia, NATO

Asbed asks why the Kremlin misjudged a war everyone knew would pit Russia against NATO, notes that China’s backing keeps Russia in the fight, and relays that many analysts now see the early days of World War III.

Transcript: Armenia at the SCO Summit as Ukraine and Iran Wars Intensify | Ep 582, Aug 30, 2026 [EP582]

Posted on Wednesday, Sep 2, 2026 | Category: Transcript

In this week’s Groong news roundup, Hovik and Asbed examine Armenia’s position at the SCO Summit amid intensifying global conflicts. We discuss Russia’s escalation in Ukraine, unprecedented Western diplomatic visits to Moscow, the renewed US-Iran War, and Pashinyan’s meetings with regional and global leaders including Aliyev and Putin. We also address the ongoing persecution of former Artsakh leaders and the selective justice targeting Armenia’s political landscape.

Arthur Martirosyan - The Fourth Republic and the Politics of Erasure | Ep 581, Aug 29, 2026 [EP581]

Posted on Saturday, Aug 29, 2026 | Category: Armenia, Politics | Series: cog, video

Guest(s):

Topics:

  • Pashinyan’s Revenge Against Opposition
  • Kocharyan Arrested, Family Under State Pressure
  • Opposition Strategy Under Repression
  • Pashinyan’s Five-Year Transformation Agenda
  • Government Assault on Armenian Church
  • Tigranashen and Border Concessions
  • TRIPP, Turan, and Central Asia

Episode 581 | Recorded: August 28, 2026

#ArmenianElections #Armenia #NikolPashinyan #CivilContract #StrongArmenia #ArmenianOpposition

Arthur Martirosyan - The Fourth Republic and the Politics of Erasure | Ep 581, Aug 29, 2026 [EP581]

Posted on Saturday, Aug 29, 2026 | Category: Armenia, Politics

Guest(s):

Topics:

  • Pashinyan’s Revenge Against Opposition
  • Kocharyan Arrested, Family Under State Pressure
  • Opposition Strategy Under Repression
  • Pashinyan’s Five-Year Transformation Agenda
  • Government Assault on Armenian Church
  • Tigranashen and Border Concessions
  • TRIPP, Turan, and Central Asia

Episode 581 | Recorded: August 28, 2026

#ArmenianElections #Armenia #NikolPashinyan #CivilContract #StrongArmenia #ArmenianOpposition

TRIPP, Kazakhstan, and the Western Encroachment in Central Asia [EP581]

Posted on Saturday, Aug 29, 2026 | Category: Geopolitics, Politics

Pashinyan offers TRIPP stakes to Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan to isolate Russia while EU seeks Central Asian access. Expert analyzes broader European strategy in Central Asia and China’s role.

Ambassador Jack Matlock - Did the West Fumble the Post-Cold War Peace? | Ep 580, Aug 28, 2026 [EP580]

Posted on Friday, Aug 28, 2026 | Category: Armenia, US, Russia, Geopolitics, History, Soviet Armenia, USSR | Series: cog, video

Guest(s):

Topics:

  • Recollections from Soviet South Caucasus
  • Why the Soviet Union collapsed
  • How the Cold War ended
  • Reagan and Gorbachev’s diplomacy
  • America’s post-Cold War triumphalism
  • NATO expansion and Russian backlash
  • Great-power rivalry in the Caucasus
  • Armenia’s geopolitical choices today

Episode 580 | Recorded: Aug 27, 2026

#JackMatlock #ColdWar #SovietUnion #Reagan #Gorbachev #NATO #Russia #SouthCaucasus #Armenia

Ambassador Jack Matlock - Did the West Fumble the Post-Cold War Peace? | Ep 580, Aug 28, 2026 [EP580]

Posted on Friday, Aug 28, 2026 | Category: Armenia, US, Russia, Geopolitics, History, Soviet Armenia, USSR

Guest(s):

Topics:

  • Recollections from Soviet South Caucasus
  • Why the Soviet Union collapsed
  • How the Cold War ended
  • Reagan and Gorbachev’s diplomacy
  • America’s post-Cold War triumphalism
  • NATO expansion and Russian backlash
  • Great-power rivalry in the Caucasus
  • Armenia’s geopolitical choices today

Episode 580 | Recorded: Aug 27, 2026

#JackMatlock #ColdWar #SovietUnion #Reagan #Gorbachev #NATO #Russia #SouthCaucasus #Armenia

Reagan Never Insulted Soviet Leaders, Unlike Modern Diplomacy [EP580]

Posted on Friday, Aug 28, 2026 | Category: Geopolitics, History

Matlock contrasts Reagan’s respectful Cold War diplomacy with contemporary Western leaders’ public insults toward foreign counterparts, arguing the shift undermines conflict resolution.

Secretary Baker's 'Not One Inch' Promise: NATO Expansion and the Two Plus Four Treaty [EP580]

Posted on Friday, Aug 28, 2026 | Category: Geopolitics, History

Matlock, present at the negotiations, provides firsthand testimony that James Baker did assure the Soviet Union that NATO would not expand eastward, and explains how this pledge was later circumvented.

The West Used Double Standards: Iraq, Libya, and Russia's Response [EP580]

Posted on Friday, Aug 28, 2026 | Category: Geopolitics, History

Matlock argues the U.S. and NATO applied double standards in military intervention, citing the Iraq invasion and Libya campaign while accusing Russia of violating international law.

Why the Soviet Union Collapsed from Within, Not by Western Pressure [EP580]

Posted on Friday, Aug 28, 2026 | Category: History, Geopolitics, USSR

Ambassador Matlock argues that internal Soviet weaknesses, not Western military or economic pressure, caused the USSR’s collapse, and that the Cold War had already ended before the Union broke apart.

Transcript: Arthur Martirosyan - The Fourth Republic and the Politics of Erasure | Ep 581, Aug 29, 2026 [EP581]

Posted on Saturday, Aug 29, 2026 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Transcript

In this episode of Conversations on Groong, we speak with Arthur G. Martirosyan about Armenia’s post-election political crisis and Pashinyan’s governance agenda. We discuss the arrest of opposition leaders including Robert Kocharyan, attacks on the Armenian Church, border concessions including Tigranashen, the TRIPP corridor, and how the Established Opposition is strategizing under state repression in the Fourth Republic.

Transcript: Ambassador Jack Matlock - Did the West Fumble the Post-Cold War Peace? | Ep 580, Aug 28, 2026 [EP580]

Posted on Friday, Aug 28, 2026 | Category: Armenia, US, Russia, Geopolitics, History, Soviet Armenia, USSR, Transcript

In this episode of Conversations on Groong, we speak with Ambassador Jack Matlock, the last US Ambassador to the Soviet Union, about whether the West missed a historic opportunity to integrate Russia into Western security architecture after the Cold War. We discuss the internal collapse of the Soviet Union, Reagan-Gorbachev diplomacy, NATO expansion and Russian backlash, and how Cold War-era decisions shape Armenia’s geopolitical choices today, including Matlock’s firsthand observations of Soviet Armenia during glasnost and the Nagorno Karabakh movement.

Dziunik Aghajanian - Armenia Between Iran, Russia & the New Middle East Order | Ep 579, Aug 22, 2026 [EP579]

Posted on Saturday, Aug 22, 2026 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Geopolitics | Series: cog, video

Guest(s):

Topics:

  • Significance of the Mecca joint defense pact
  • Iran warns Armenia over TRIPP
  • Aliyev advances plans through Syunik
  • Armenia faces growing energy dependence
  • Russia sets deadlines for Yerevan
  • Opposition tests its parliamentary strategy

Episode 579 | Recorded: August 18, 2026

#Armenia #SouthCaucasus #Mecca #TRIPP #Iran #Russia #Azerbaijan #EAEU #CSTO

Dziunik Aghajanian - Armenia Between Iran, Russia & the New Middle East Order | Ep 579, Aug 22, 2026 [EP579]

Posted on Saturday, Aug 22, 2026 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Geopolitics

Guest(s):

Topics:

  • Significance of the Mecca joint defense pact
  • Iran warns Armenia over TRIPP
  • Aliyev advances plans through Syunik
  • Armenia faces growing energy dependence
  • Russia sets deadlines for Yerevan
  • Opposition tests its parliamentary strategy

Episode 579 | Recorded: August 18, 2026

#Armenia #SouthCaucasus #Mecca #TRIPP #Iran #Russia #Azerbaijan #EAEU #CSTO

Russia's December Ultimatum: Armenia Must Choose EAEU or EU, Not Both [EP579]

Posted on Saturday, Aug 22, 2026 | Category: Geopolitics, Armenia, Russia, European Union

Russia ultimatum: Armenia must decide by December 2026 whether to hold EU membership referendum or face EAEU suspension. Ambassador explains why both paths lead to economic devastation.

Transcript: Dziunik Aghajanian - Armenia Between Iran, Russia & the New Middle East Order | Ep 579, Aug 22, 2026 [EP579]

Posted on Saturday, Aug 22, 2026 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Geopolitics, Transcript

In this episode of Conversations on Groong, we speak with Dziunik Aghajanian about Armenia’s precarious position between Iran, Russia, and emerging Middle East power shifts. We discuss the Mecca joint defense pact signed by Turkey, Pakistan, and Saudi Arabia, Iran’s warnings over TRIPP, Ilham Aliyev’s militarization plans in Nakhijevan, Armenia’s growing energy dependence, Russian deadlines for Yerevan, and how the Established Opposition is testing its parliamentary strategy ahead of the 2026 Armenian Parliamentary Election.

Russia's Ultimatum: Armenia Must Choose EAEU or Lose Everything [EP578]

Posted on Wednesday, Aug 19, 2026 | Category: Russia, Economy, Geopolitics, Armenia

Russia has given Armenia until December 2026 to hold a referendum on EU membership or face suspension from the Eurasian Economic Union and potential sanctions.

How Long Can Armenia Sit on Two Chairs? EAEU vs. EU Balancing Act Collapsing [EP576]

Posted on Wednesday, Aug 12, 2026 | Category: Geopolitics, Economy, Russia, European Union, Armenia

Asbed and Hovik discuss Armenia’s impossible balancing act between EAEU membership and EU integration, and the economic and political consequences of Pashinyan’s refusal to choose.

Pashinyan’s Church War, the Russia-EU Choice, and TRIPP | Ep 576, Aug 9, 2026 [EP576]

Posted on Wednesday, Aug 12, 2026 | Category: Armenia, Politics | Series: wir, video

Topics:

  • Turkey-Pakistan-Saudi Alliance
  • Iran War Update
  • Catholicos on Trial
  • EAEU Meeting in Cholpon-Ata
  • Corruption & Persecutions

Episode 576 | Recorded: August 10, 2026

#Armenia #ArmenianPolitics #ArmenianChurch #GareginII #TRIPP #ArmeniaRussia #SouthCaucasus #Groong

Pashinyan’s Church War, the Russia-EU Choice, and TRIPP | Ep 576, Aug 9, 2026 [EP576]

Posted on Wednesday, Aug 12, 2026 | Category: Armenia, Politics

Topics:

  • Turkey-Pakistan-Saudi Alliance
  • Iran War Update
  • Catholicos on Trial
  • EAEU Meeting in Cholpon-Ata
  • Corruption & Persecutions

Episode 576 | Recorded: August 10, 2026

#Armenia #ArmenianPolitics #ArmenianChurch #GareginII #TRIPP #ArmeniaRussia #SouthCaucasus #Groong

Transcript: Pashinyan’s Church War, the Russia-EU Choice, and TRIPP | Ep 576, Aug 9, 2026 [EP576]

Posted on Wednesday, Aug 12, 2026 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Transcript

In this week’s Groong episode, the hosts examine Pashinyan’s confrontation with the Armenian Church, Armenia’s strategic positioning between Russia and the EU, and the geopolitical implications of TRIPP. We discuss the trial of Catholicos Garegin II, Iran’s military leadership realignment, the Turkey-Pakistan-Saudi Arabia defense pact, and how these shifts reshape Armenia’s role in the South Caucasus.

Russia Wants Armenia Out of the Eurasian Economic Union, Mikaelian Says [EP575]

Posted on Saturday, Aug 8, 2026 | Category: Geopolitics, Politics, Armenia

Hrant Mikaelian explains that Russia’s demand for an Armenian referendum on EU/EAEU membership is designed to create a pretext for legally expelling Armenia from the Eurasian Economic Union.

Asbed on the Real Cost: Generations of Armenian Debt [EP574]

Posted on Tuesday, Aug 4, 2026 | Category: Economy, Armenia, Politics

Asbed Bedrossian warns that Pashinyan plans to finance the railway buyout through new European loans, burdening future generations of Armenians with debt repayment.

Point 9 of the Ceasefire: Russia's Syunik Presence vs. TRIPP [EP574]

Posted on Tuesday, Aug 4, 2026 | Category: Geopolitics, Armenia, Russia

Asbed explains how Pashinyan has committed Syunik’s transit corridor simultaneously to Russia via the 2020 ceasefire and to the US-backed TRIPP framework, creating an irresolvable conflict.

Railway Dispute: EU Pressure to Kick Out Russia [EP574]

Posted on Tuesday, Aug 4, 2026 | Category: Geopolitics, Economy, Armenia, Russia, European Union

Hovik reveals that Pashinyan’s sudden claims of Russian railway mismanagement appeared only after unnamed Western countries pressured him to remove Russian control, signaling geopolitical rather than operational motives.

Tigranashen Unanswered, Russia’s Railways Challenged | Ep 574, Aug 2, 2026 [EP574]

Posted on Tuesday, Aug 4, 2026 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Geopolitics | Series: wir, video

Topics:

  • New parliament is sworn in
  • Tigranashen and Armenia’s territorial red lines
  • Civil Contract’s evasive enclave answers
  • Armenia challenges Russia’s railway concession
  • TRIPP reshapes regional power and transit

Episode 574 | Recorded: August 3, 2026

#ArmenianNews #Tigranashen #ArmenianRailways #TRIPP #SouthCaucasus #ArmeniaRussia #ZangezurCorridor #Geopolitics

Tigranashen Unanswered, Russia’s Railways Challenged | Ep 574, Aug 2, 2026 [EP574]

Posted on Tuesday, Aug 4, 2026 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Geopolitics

Topics:

  • New parliament is sworn in
  • Tigranashen and Armenia’s territorial red lines
  • Civil Contract’s evasive enclave answers
  • Armenia challenges Russia’s railway concession
  • TRIPP reshapes regional power and transit

Episode 574 | Recorded: August 3, 2026

#ArmenianNews #Tigranashen #ArmenianRailways #TRIPP #SouthCaucasus #ArmeniaRussia #ZangezurCorridor #Geopolitics

TRIPP, Turkish Railways, and the Real Game [EP574]

Posted on Tuesday, Aug 4, 2026 | Category: Geopolitics, Economy, Armenia, Turkey, Azerbaijan

Hovik explains why Pashinyan’s proposed Gyumri-Kars railway through Nakhijevan is a fiction: Turkey already has a multi-billion-dollar direct line, and Aliyev has made clear no northern Armenian route exists.

Transcript: Tigranashen Unanswered, Russia’s Railways Challenged | Ep 574, Aug 2, 2026 [EP574]

Posted on Tuesday, Aug 4, 2026 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Geopolitics, Transcript

In this week’s Groong Week in Review, Hovik and Asbed discuss Armenia’s new parliament sworn in on August 2, 2026, and the Armenia Alliance’s direct challenge to Civil Contract over Tigranashen. We examine the government’s evasive responses on territorial red lines, Armenia’s challenge to Russia’s railway concession, and how TRIPP reshapes regional power dynamics in the South Caucasus.

Christine Arakelian - Forever Wars, NATO 3.0, Armenia's High-Stakes Western Pivot | Ep 572, Jul 31, 2026 [EP572]

Posted on Saturday, Aug 1, 2026 | Category: Armenia, USA, European Union, Politics, Geopolitics, Diaspora | Series: cog, video

Guest(s):

Topics:

  • US Foreign Policy & the Fracture of MAGA
  • Iran and the Risk of Forever Wars
  • NATO 3.0 and Europe’s Militarization
  • Post-2026 Election Armenia
  • TRIPP and Pashinyan’s Pivot to the West

Episode 572 | Recorded: July 29, 2026

#ForeverWars #NATO #IranWar #Armenia #TRIPP #MAGA #USForeignPolicy #SouthCaucasus

Christine Arakelian - Forever Wars, NATO 3.0, Armenia's High-Stakes Western Pivot | Ep 572, Jul 31, 2026 [EP572]

Posted on Saturday, Aug 1, 2026 | Category: Armenia, USA, European Union, Politics, Geopolitics, Diaspora

Guest(s):

Topics:

  • US Foreign Policy & the Fracture of MAGA
  • Iran and the Risk of Forever Wars
  • NATO 3.0 and Europe’s Militarization
  • Post-2026 Election Armenia
  • TRIPP and Pashinyan’s Pivot to the West

Episode 572 | Recorded: July 29, 2026

#ForeverWars #NATO #IranWar #Armenia #TRIPP #MAGA #USForeignPolicy #SouthCaucasus

Transcript: Christine Arakelian - Forever Wars, NATO 3.0, Armenia's High-Stakes Western Pivot | Ep 572, Jul 31, 2026 [EP572]

Posted on Saturday, Aug 1, 2026 | Category: Armenia, USA, European Union, Politics, Geopolitics, Diaspora, Transcript

In this episode of Conversations on Groong, we speak with Christine Arakelian about American foreign policy fractures, Iran war risks, and Armenia’s pivot to the West. We discuss whether the United States has coherent foreign policy, the collapse of the MAGA coalition over Forever Wars, NATO 3.0 and Europe’s militarization, and how Pashinyan’s post-2026 Armenian Parliamentary Election government is navigating TRIPP amid global instability.

From Caspian Drones to Armenia’s Cold Winter | Ep 571, Jul 26, 2026 [EP571]

Posted on Tuesday, Jul 28, 2026 | Category: Armenia, Iran, Politics | Series: wir, video

Topics:

  • Ukraine expands its war into the Caspian
  • Iran warns of a wider regional response
  • Russia and the West test stalled diplomacy
  • Aliyev positions Baku as a geopolitical hub
  • Armenia faces pressure over EU alignment
  • Baku POW abuse and their deteriorating health
  • Housing policy expose domestic failures

Episode 571 | Recorded: July 27, 2026

#Armenia #UkraineWar #Iran #CaspianSea #SouthCaucasus #MiddleCorridor #ArmenianPOWs #Geopolitics