Tag: South Caucasus

The South Caucasus sits at the crossroads of Russia, Turkey, Iran, and the broader Middle East — a small region whose internal conflicts have consistently attracted the attention of great powers. The three states of Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia each navigate overlapping and often contradictory security relationships with Moscow, Washington, and Brussels, while managing unresolved territorial disputes and competing integration ambitions.

The 2020 Nagorno Karabakh war and Azerbaijan’s September 2023 offensive — which resulted in the ethnic cleansing of the entire Armenian population of Artsakh from Nagorno Karabakh — reshaped the regional order, accelerating Armenia’s pivot away from Russian security structures, deepening Azerbaijan’s strategic confidence, and leaving Georgia’s own geopolitical direction in flux following disputed elections and mass protests. The region has become a live testing ground for the limits of Russian influence, the reach of Western soft power, and the emerging role of powers like Turkey, Iran, India, and China.

Groong covers the South Caucasus comprehensively — not just Armenia’s domestic politics and security situation, but the regional dynamics that define the constraints and opportunities facing every state in the area. Episodes in this category examine bilateral relationships, multilateral formats, infrastructure corridors, and the geopolitical competition that makes the South Caucasus one of the most consequential small regions in Eurasian politics.

Renewed Hostilities in Artsakh | Ukraine | FM Arabat Mirzoyan in Antalya | Ep #128 - Mar 13, 2022 [EP128]

Posted on Monday, Mar 14, 2022 | Category: Russia, Ukraine, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Turkey, Artsakh, Syria, Iran, Armenian Church

ANN/Groong Week in Review - March 13, 2022

Topics:

  • Renewed Hostilities in Artsakh
  • Update on Ukraine
  • FM “Arabat” Mirzoyan in Antalya

Guest:

  • Dr. Pietro Shakarian

Host:

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

Episode 128 | Recorded: Sunday, March 13, 2022 Website: https://groong.org/podcasts/WiR-20220313.html

Ukraine | Dismissing Generals | 2nd Normalization Meeting | New President | Ep #126 - Mar 6, 2022 [EP126]

Posted on Monday, Mar 7, 2022 | Category: Russia, Ukraine, Armenia, Turkey, China, Economy, Syria, Genocide, Iran, Azerbaijan, Geopolitics, Georgia, India | Series: WIR

ANN/Groong Week in Review - March 6, 2022

Topics:

  • 00:00 Introduction
  • 01:15 Ukraine War and Effects on Armenia
  • 19:04 Armenia Shuffles Generals
  • 25:15 Second Normalization Meeting
  • 33:06 Armenian Parliament Elects New President

Guest:

  • Benyamin Poghosyan TW/@Benyamin_Poghos

Host:

  • Asbed Bedrossian TW/@qubriq

Episode 126 | Recorded: Sunday, March 6, 2022 Website: https://groong.org/podcasts/WiR-20220306.html

Ukraine | Dismissing Generals | 2nd Normalization Meeting | New President | Ep #126 - Mar 6, 2022 [EP126]

Posted on Monday, Mar 7, 2022 | Category: Russia, Ukraine, Armenia, Turkey, China, Economy, Syria, Genocide, Iran, Azerbaijan, Geopolitics, Georgia, India

ANN/Groong Week in Review - March 6, 2022

Topics:

  • 00:00 Introduction
  • 01:15 Ukraine War and Effects on Armenia
  • 19:04 Armenia Shuffles Generals
  • 25:15 Second Normalization Meeting
  • 33:06 Armenian Parliament Elects New President

Guest:

  • Benyamin Poghosyan TW/@Benyamin_Poghos

Host:

  • Asbed Bedrossian TW/@qubriq

Episode 126 | Recorded: Sunday, March 6, 2022 Website: https://groong.org/podcasts/WiR-20220306.html

Armenia’s Regional Challenges with Tatev Hayrapetyan | Ep #124 - Feb 26, 2022 [EP124]

Posted on Saturday, Feb 26, 2022 | Category: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Russia, Turkey, Iran, Ukraine, Artsakh, China, India | Series: COG

Armenia’s Regional Challenges - February 26, 2022 A Conversation with Tatev Hayrapetyan

Topics:

  • Tatev’s Background and Entrance into Politics
  • Armenia Going in the Wrong Direction?
  • Aliyev and his Regime after the 44-Day War
  • The Shushi and Moscow Agreements
  • Armenia’s Foreign Affairs Establishment

Guest:

  • Tatev Hayrapetyan is an expert in Azerbaijani studies and holds a PhD in History. She was an MP at the 7th convocation of Armenia’s National Assembly, a member of the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Armenian Delegation at the PACE. She is mainly focused on domestic
 Read More

Armenia’s Regional Challenges with Tatev Hayrapetyan | Ep #124 - Feb 26, 2022 [EP124]

Posted on Saturday, Feb 26, 2022 | Category: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Russia, Turkey, Iran, Ukraine, Artsakh, China, India

Armenia’s Regional Challenges - February 26, 2022 A Conversation with Tatev Hayrapetyan

Topics:

  • Tatev’s Background and Entrance into Politics
  • Armenia Going in the Wrong Direction?
  • Aliyev and his Regime after the 44-Day War
  • The Shushi and Moscow Agreements
  • Armenia’s Foreign Affairs Establishment

Guest:

  • Tatev Hayrapetyan is an expert in Azerbaijani studies and holds a PhD in History. She was an MP at the 7th convocation of Armenia’s National Assembly, a member of the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Armenian Delegation at the PACE. She is mainly focused on domestic
 Read More

POWs | War Commission | Degrading Democracy | Lukashenko | MPG poll | Ep #119 - Feb 13, 2022 [EP119]

Posted on Tuesday, Feb 15, 2022 | Category: Artsakh, Armenia, Politics, Poll, Russia, Azerbaijan, Iran, Turkey, China, Ukraine, Georgia, Israel, USA, Economy, Human Rights | Series: WIR

ANN/Groong Week in Review - February 13, 2022

Topics:

  • 00:00:00 Introduction
  • 00:02:43 8 More POWs Released, But What At What Cost?
  • 00:20:40 Parliamentary Commission on the 44-Day War Established
  • 00:33:42 The Degrading Norms of Democracy in Armenia
  • 00:46:42 Who Needs Armenia?
  • 01:06:32 Latest MPG Poll Results in Yerevan
  • 01:18:51 Rants

Guest:

  • Benyamin Poghosyan

Hosts:

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

Episode 119 | Recorded: Sunday, February 14, 2022 Website: https://groong.org/podcasts/WiR-20220213.html

POWs | War Commission | Degrading Democracy | Lukashenko | MPG poll | Ep #119 - Feb 13, 2022 [EP119]

Posted on Tuesday, Feb 15, 2022 | Category: Artsakh, Armenia, Politics, Poll, Russia, Azerbaijan, Iran, Turkey, China, Ukraine, Georgia, Israel, USA, Economy, Human Rights

ANN/Groong Week in Review - February 13, 2022

Topics:

  • 00:00:00 Introduction
  • 00:02:43 8 More POWs Released, But What At What Cost?
  • 00:20:40 Parliamentary Commission on the 44-Day War Established
  • 00:33:42 The Degrading Norms of Democracy in Armenia
  • 00:46:42 Who Needs Armenia?
  • 01:06:32 Latest MPG Poll Results in Yerevan
  • 01:18:51 Rants

Guest:

  • Benyamin Poghosyan

Hosts:

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

Episode 119 | Recorded: Sunday, February 14, 2022 Website: https://groong.org/podcasts/WiR-20220213.html

Color Me Kazakhstan | Expectations From 1st Normalization Meeting on Friday | Ep #112 - Jan 9, 2022 [EP112]

Posted on Tuesday, Jan 11, 2022 | Category: Russia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Turkey, Ukraine, Iran, Georgia, Geopolitics, USA, China, Human Rights, Economy | Series: WIR

ANN/Groong Week in Review - January 9, 2022

Topics:

  • Color Me Kazakhstan
  • Turkish-Armenian Normalization Meeting on January 14

Guests:

  • Benyamin Poghosyan TW/@Benyamin_Poghos
  • Pietro Shakarian

Hosts:

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

Episode 112 | Recorded: Sunday, January 9, 2022 Website: https://groong.org/podcasts/WiR-20220109.html

Color Me Kazakhstan | Expectations From 1st Normalization Meeting on Friday | Ep #112 - Jan 9, 2022 [EP112]

Posted on Tuesday, Jan 11, 2022 | Category: Russia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Turkey, Ukraine, Iran, Georgia, Geopolitics, USA, China, Human Rights, Economy

ANN/Groong Week in Review - January 9, 2022

Topics:

  • Color Me Kazakhstan
  • Turkish-Armenian Normalization Meeting on January 14

Guests:

  • Benyamin Poghosyan TW/@Benyamin_Poghos
  • Pietro Shakarian

Hosts:

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

Episode 112 | Recorded: Sunday, January 9, 2022 Website: https://groong.org/podcasts/WiR-20220109.html