South Caucasus

Last updated: May 29, 2026

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.

Groong episodes that include this tag

Below are all Groong episodes tagged with South Caucasus.

Anna Abrahamian: Munich Security Conference | Artsakh [EP230]

Posted on Friday, Feb 24, 2023 | Category: Armenia, Artsakh, Politics, China, Russia, Azerbaijan, Nagorno Karabakh, Artsakh Blockade, Armenian Genocide, Ukraine, NATO, Turkey, Genocide, Iran, Israel, Economy, Syria, European Union, Georgia, Middle East | Series: cog, video

Today we’re going to talk with Anna Abrahamian about two or three topics.

  • The Munich Security Conference 2023.
  • We’ll touch on Russian president Putin’s state of the federation address.
  • The latest political developments in Artsakh.

Guest:

  • Anna Abrahamian , a geopolitical analyst who splits her time between Moscow and Athens. Having obtained training in international law, Anna has worked in such noteworthy institutions as the Defense Analyses Institute in Athens as well as the Crisis Group in Brussels. Today, Anna provides her analysis on geopolitics and Armenian politics to her
 Read More

Anna Abrahamian: Munich Security Conference | Artsakh [EP230]

Posted on Friday, Feb 24, 2023 | Category: Armenia, Artsakh, Politics, China, Russia, Azerbaijan, Nagorno Karabakh, Artsakh Blockade, Armenian Genocide, Ukraine, NATO, Turkey, Genocide, Iran, Israel, Economy, Syria, European Union, Georgia, Middle East

Today we’re going to talk with Anna Abrahamian about two or three topics.

  • The Munich Security Conference 2023.
  • We’ll touch on Russian president Putin’s state of the federation address.
  • The latest political developments in Artsakh.

Guest:

  • Anna Abrahamian , a geopolitical analyst who splits her time between Moscow and Athens. Having obtained training in international law, Anna has worked in such noteworthy institutions as the Defense Analyses Institute in Athens as well as the Crisis Group in Brussels. Today, Anna provides her analysis on geopolitics and Armenian politics to her
 Read More

35th Anniversary of the Karabakh Movement | Russia Warns the EU and Armenia | Armenian Azerbaijani Negotiations Continue | Ep 226 - Feb 19, 2023 [EP226]

Posted on Monday, Feb 20, 2023 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Artsakh, Nagorno Karabakh, Azerbaijan, Russia, Artsakh Blockade, European Union, Iran, Ukraine, Georgia, Economy, Geopolitics, Turkey | Series: wir

Guest:

Topics:

  • 35th Anniversary of the Karabakh Movement
  • Russia Warns the EU and Armenia
  • Armenian Azerbaijani Negotiations Continue
  • Personal topics

Episode 226 | Recorded: February 19, 2023

35th Anniversary of the Karabakh Movement | Russia Warns the EU and Armenia | Armenian Azerbaijani Negotiations Continue | Ep 226 - Feb 19, 2023 [EP226]

Posted on Monday, Feb 20, 2023 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Artsakh, Nagorno Karabakh, Azerbaijan, Russia, Artsakh Blockade, European Union, Iran, Ukraine, Georgia, Economy, Geopolitics, Turkey

Guest:

Topics:

  • 35th Anniversary of the Karabakh Movement
  • Russia Warns the EU and Armenia
  • Armenian Azerbaijani Negotiations Continue
  • Personal topics

Episode 226 | Recorded: February 19, 2023

Earthquake in Turkey and Syria | Armenia-Azerbaijan Conflict | Lavrov Interview | EU and CSTO Missions | Shifting Public Perceptions | Yerevan Political Shuffle | Ep 224 - Feb 12, 2023 [EP224]

Posted on Sunday, Feb 12, 2023 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Poll, Artsakh, Nagorno Karabakh, Azerbaijan, Turkey, Syria, Russia, Iran, Artsakh Blockade, European Union, Ukraine, China, India, Geopolitics, Genocide, Georgia, Israel, Lebanon | Series: wir

Guest:

Topic:

  • Earthquake in Turkey and Syria
  • Armenia-Azerbaijan Conflict
    • FM Lavrov’s Interview to Russian Media
    • EU vs CSTO Missions
    • Shifting Public Perceptions
  • Political Shuffles in Yerevan

Episode 224 | Recorded: February 12, 2023

Earthquake in Turkey and Syria | Armenia-Azerbaijan Conflict | Lavrov Interview | EU and CSTO Missions | Shifting Public Perceptions | Yerevan Political Shuffle | Ep 224 - Feb 12, 2023 [EP224]

Posted on Sunday, Feb 12, 2023 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Poll, Artsakh, Nagorno Karabakh, Azerbaijan, Turkey, Syria, Russia, Iran, Artsakh Blockade, European Union, Ukraine, China, India, Geopolitics, Genocide, Georgia, Israel, Lebanon

Guest:

Topic:

  • Earthquake in Turkey and Syria
  • Armenia-Azerbaijan Conflict
    • FM Lavrov’s Interview to Russian Media
    • EU vs CSTO Missions
    • Shifting Public Perceptions
  • Political Shuffles in Yerevan

Episode 224 | Recorded: February 12, 2023

Rananjay Anand | Indo-Armenian Friendship NGO | Indian Armenian Relations | The Hope & Promise | Ep 209 - Jan 18, 2023 [EP209]

Posted on Wednesday, Jan 18, 2023 | Category: India, Armenia, Relations, Politics, Azerbaijan, Artsakh, Nagorno Karabakh, Russia, Ukraine, BRICS, China, Turkey, Economy, Iran, Israel, Geopolitics, Georgia | Series: cog

Conversations on Groong - Jan 18, 2023

Guest:

Topics:

  • Indo-Armenian Friendship NGO
  • The Indian Community in Armenia
  • Where India sees itself on the world stage
  • Drivers for Indian-Armenian Relations
  • How to improve economic and trade relations
  • The Hope & Promise of Indian Armenian Friendship

Episode 209 | Recorded: January 18, 2023

Rananjay Anand | Indo-Armenian Friendship NGO | Indian Armenian Relations | The Hope & Promise | Ep 209 - Jan 18, 2023 [EP209]

Posted on Wednesday, Jan 18, 2023 | Category: India, Armenia, Relations, Politics, Azerbaijan, Artsakh, Nagorno Karabakh, Russia, Ukraine, BRICS, China, Turkey, Economy, Iran, Israel, Geopolitics, Georgia

Conversations on Groong - Jan 18, 2023

Guest:

Topics:

  • Indo-Armenian Friendship NGO
  • The Indian Community in Armenia
  • Where India sees itself on the world stage
  • Drivers for Indian-Armenian Relations
  • How to improve economic and trade relations
  • The Hope & Promise of Indian Armenian Friendship

Episode 209 | Recorded: January 18, 2023

Hrant Mikaelian | Artsakh Blockade | Pashinyan Press Conference | Ministry of Interior Appointments | Artsakh Foreign Minister | Armenia Economy Outlook 2023 | Ep 206 - Jan 15, 2023 [EP206]

Posted on Sunday, Jan 15, 2023 | Category: Artsakh, Armenia, Politics, Poll, Nagorno Karabakh, Azerbaijan, Russia, Artsakh Blockade, Economy, Turkey, Ukraine, Iran, Georgia, India, European Union, Israel, NATO | Series: wir

Guest:

  • Hrant Mikaelian , a political scientist and multidisciplinary researcher in social sciences based in Yerevan. He is also a senior researcher at the Caucasus Institute.

Topics:

  • Artsakh Update and Politics in Stepanakert
  • Pashinyan’s “Press Conference”
  • Ministry of Interior Affairs Appointments
  • Economic Review and Outlook in 2023
  • Personal Comments
    • Hrant - MPG polls results on Armenian Attitudes towards Russia
    • Hovik - Stop the destructive internal politics

Episode 206 | Recorded: January 15, 2023