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.

Normalization | Brussels Sprouts | NSC Chair in DC | Armenia Project Tour | Ep. 108 - Dec 19, 2021 [EP108]

Posted on Tuesday, Dec 21, 2021 | Category: Armenia, Artsakh, Azerbaijan, Turkey, Russia | Series: WIR

ANN/Groong Week in Review - December 19, 2021

Topics:

  • Turkish-Armenian normalization
  • Brussels Sprouts
  • Armen Grigoryan in Washington DC
  • The Armenian Project - US Tour
  • Analyst Rants

Guest:

Episode 108 | Recorded: December 20, 2021

Normalization | Brussels Sprouts | NSC Chair in DC | Armenia Project Tour | Ep. 108 - Dec 19, 2021 [EP108]

Posted on Tuesday, Dec 21, 2021 | Category: Armenia, Artsakh, Azerbaijan, Turkey, Russia

ANN/Groong Week in Review - December 19, 2021

Topics:

  • Turkish-Armenian normalization
  • Brussels Sprouts
  • Armen Grigoryan in Washington DC
  • The Armenian Project - US Tour
  • Analyst Rants

Guest:

Episode 108 | Recorded: December 20, 2021

Armenian and Azerbaijani Expert Perspectives on Negotiations | Ep #107 - Dec 15, 2021 [EP107]

Posted on Wednesday, Dec 15, 2021 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Geopolitics, Azerbaijan, Russia, Turkey, Iran, Georgia, Artsakh, USA, China, Syria, Armenian Genocide | Series: cog, video

Anar Valiyev and Benyamin Poghosyan discuss stumbling blocks in post-war negotiations

Guests:

  • Dr. Anar Valiyev, Associate Professor at Azerbaijani Diplomatic Academy (ADA) University in Baku.
  • Dr. Benyamin Poghosyan, Chairman of Yerevan-based think tank Center for Political and Economic Strategic Studies.

Topics:

  • Artsakh Status (@4:54)
  • Is the conflict really “solved” (@11:04)
  • Opening of Communications (@38:52)
  • Corridor for Corridor (@46:32)
  • “Unimpeded” Access (@50:15)
  • Russia’s regional role (@53:16)
  • Turkey’s regional role (@58:48)
  • 3+3 or 3+2 Format
 Read More

Armenian and Azerbaijani Expert Perspectives on Negotiations | Ep #107 - Dec 15, 2021 [EP107]

Posted on Wednesday, Dec 15, 2021 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Geopolitics, Azerbaijan, Russia, Turkey, Iran, Georgia, Artsakh, USA, China, Syria, Armenian Genocide

Anar Valiyev and Benyamin Poghosyan discuss stumbling blocks in post-war negotiations

Guests:

  • Dr. Anar Valiyev, Associate Professor at Azerbaijani Diplomatic Academy (ADA) University in Baku.
  • Dr. Benyamin Poghosyan, Chairman of Yerevan-based think tank Center for Political and Economic Strategic Studies.

Topics:

  • Artsakh Status (@4:54)
  • Is the conflict really “solved” (@11:04)
  • Opening of Communications (@38:52)
  • Corridor for Corridor (@46:32)
  • “Unimpeded” Access (@50:15)
  • Russia’s regional role (@53:16)
  • Turkey’s regional role (@58:48)
  • 3+3 or 3+2 Format
 Read More

Zoom for Democracy | Domestic & Regional Politics | Artsakh Republic at 30 | Ep #106 - Dec 12, 2021 [EP106]

Posted on Monday, Dec 13, 2021 | Category: Armenia, Artsakh, Politics, Geopolitics, Russia, Azerbaijan, Ukraine, Turkey, Iran, Georgia, China, Israel, Syria, Genocide, Human Rights, Economy, Armenian Genocide | Series: WIR

ANN/Groong Week in Review - December 12, 2021

Topics:

  • Zoom for Democracy
  • Domestic Politics
  • Regional Politics
  • Artsakh Independence at 30
  • Analyst Rants

Guests:

  • Benyamin Poghosyan TW/@benyamin_poghos
  • Pietro Shakarian

Hosts:

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

Episode 106 | Recorded: Sunday, December 12, 2021

Zoom for Democracy | Domestic & Regional Politics | Artsakh Republic at 30 | Ep #106 - Dec 12, 2021 [EP106]

Posted on Monday, Dec 13, 2021 | Category: Armenia, Artsakh, Politics, Geopolitics, Russia, Azerbaijan, Ukraine, Turkey, Iran, Georgia, China, Israel, Syria, Genocide, Human Rights, Economy, Armenian Genocide

ANN/Groong Week in Review - December 12, 2021

Topics:

  • Zoom for Democracy
  • Domestic Politics
  • Regional Politics
  • Artsakh Independence at 30
  • Analyst Rants

Guests:

  • Benyamin Poghosyan TW/@benyamin_poghos
  • Pietro Shakarian

Hosts:

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

Episode 106 | Recorded: Sunday, December 12, 2021

Regional Geopolitics | Turkmen / Iran Gas | Armenian Opposition Fizzles Out | Ep #105 - Dec 5, 2021 [EP105]

Posted on Monday, Dec 6, 2021 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Iran, Azerbaijan, Russia, Turkey, China, Artsakh, Geopolitics, India, Israel, Economy | Series: WIR

ANN/Groong Week in Review - December 5, 2021

Topics:

  • Regional Geopolitics @1:07
  • Turkmenistan / Iran Gas Swap Deal @46:58
  • Opposition Fizzles Out. Again @58:18

Guests:

  • Benyamin Poghosyan TW/@benyamin_poghos

Hosts:

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

Episode 105 | Recorded: Sunday, December 5, 2021 Website: https://groong.org/podcasts/WiR-20211205.html

Regional Geopolitics | Turkmen / Iran Gas | Armenian Opposition Fizzles Out | Ep #105 - Dec 5, 2021 [EP105]

Posted on Monday, Dec 6, 2021 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Iran, Azerbaijan, Russia, Turkey, China, Artsakh, Geopolitics, India, Israel, Economy

ANN/Groong Week in Review - December 5, 2021

Topics:

  • Regional Geopolitics @1:07
  • Turkmenistan / Iran Gas Swap Deal @46:58
  • Opposition Fizzles Out. Again @58:18

Guests:

  • Benyamin Poghosyan TW/@benyamin_poghos

Hosts:

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

Episode 105 | Recorded: Sunday, December 5, 2021 Website: https://groong.org/podcasts/WiR-20211205.html

Pashinyan Live | From Sochi to Brussels | Normalization | Co-opetition | Ep #104 - Nov 28, 2021 [EP104]

Posted on Monday, Nov 29, 2021 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Geopolitics, Russia, Turkey, Iran, Azerbaijan, Syria, Economy, Georgia, China, India, Lebanon, Artsakh, Ukraine, Genocide, Middle East | Series: WIR

ANN/Groong Week in Review - November 28, 2021

Topics:

  • Pashinyan Live on Facebook
  • Trilateral in Sochi, Bilateral in Brussels
  • Turkish-Armenian “Normalization”
  • Russian-Turkish “Co-opetition” in Eurasia

Guests:

  • Hrant Mikaelian TW/@hrant_m
  • Yeghia Tashjian TW/@yeghig

Hosts:

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

Episode 104 | Recorded: Sunday, November 28, 2021 Website: https://groong.org/podcasts/WiR-20211128.html