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.
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
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
- Pashinyanâs âPress Conferenceâ
- 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
Varuzhan Geghamyan: Artsakh Under Blockade: Day 11 [EP191]
Posted on Friday, Dec 23, 2022 | Category: Artsakh, Politics, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Russia, Turkey, Artsakh Blockade, Nagorno Karabakh, Iran, Genocide, NATO, Georgia, Human Rights, Syria, Ukraine, European Union, Middle East, India | Series: cog, video
“Turkish threats are going to disappear only when there is no Armenia” - Varuzhan Geghamyan
Guest:
Topic:
- We continue our coverage of the crisis in Artsakh by developments in the UN Security Council as well as Turkish and Iranian concerns in the region.
- More than 120 thousand people, including 30 thousand children, are under siege. Today is the 11th day of the crisis.
- This interview is a continuation of the collaboration between ANN/Groong and 168 Hours aiming to bring you more English-language coverage on the developments of this very serious humanitarian
Varuzhan Geghamyan: Artsakh Under Blockade: Day 11 [EP191]
Posted on Friday, Dec 23, 2022 | Category: Artsakh, Politics, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Russia, Turkey, Artsakh Blockade, Nagorno Karabakh, Iran, Genocide, NATO, Georgia, Human Rights, Syria, Ukraine, European Union, Middle East, India“Turkish threats are going to disappear only when there is no Armenia” - Varuzhan Geghamyan
Guest:
Topic:
- We continue our coverage of the crisis in Artsakh by developments in the UN Security Council as well as Turkish and Iranian concerns in the region.
- More than 120 thousand people, including 30 thousand children, are under siege. Today is the 11th day of the crisis.
- This interview is a continuation of the collaboration between ANN/Groong and 168 Hours aiming to bring you more English-language coverage on the developments of this very serious humanitarian
Lachin Blocked | Armenia-Azerbaijan Negotiations | Military Exercises | Syunik [EP182]
Posted on Sunday, Dec 11, 2022 | Category: Armenia, Artsakh, Politics, Azerbaijan, Nagorno Karabakh, Turkey, Russia, Iran, Artsakh Blockade, European Union, Ukraine, China, Geopolitics, Economy, Israel, Middle East, NATO, Syria, India | Series: wir
Guest:
Topics:
- Lachin Corridor Blockade
- Continuing Armenian-Azerbaijani Negotiations
- Turkish-Azerbaijani Military Exercises
- Travel Impressions from the region
Episode 182 | Recorded: December 13, 2022
Lachin Blocked | Armenia-Azerbaijan Negotiations | Military Exercises | Syunik [EP182]
Posted on Sunday, Dec 11, 2022 | Category: Armenia, Artsakh, Politics, Azerbaijan, Nagorno Karabakh, Turkey, Russia, Iran, Artsakh Blockade, European Union, Ukraine, China, Geopolitics, Economy, Israel, Middle East, NATO, Syria, IndiaGuest:
Topics:
- Lachin Corridor Blockade
- Continuing Armenian-Azerbaijani Negotiations
- Turkish-Azerbaijani Military Exercises
- Travel Impressions from the region
Episode 182 | Recorded: December 13, 2022
Arthur Khachikyan & Gev Iskajyan: The Nov 10 Statement, Two Years On [EP177]
Posted on Monday, Nov 14, 2022 | Category: Politics, Artsakh, Armenia, Nagorno Karabakh, Azerbaijan, Turkey, Russia, Iran, European Union, Ukraine, Genocide, Economy, Israel, India | Series: wir
Guests:
Topics:
- November 10 “Ceasefire”
- Weâll talk with our guests in Yerevan and Stepanakert about their perceptions of where we are in terms of ceasing fire, two years later.
- The Peace is Dead, Long Live the Peace
- Weâll talk about increased war rhetoric from Azerbaijan, threatening Armenia, Russia, Iran, and anyone else who comes to Armeniaâs aid. With the pressure increasing and Aliyevâs two-month deadline approaching, weâll investigate the possibility of renewed war.
Episode 177 | Recorded: November 14, 2022
Arthur Khachikyan & Gev Iskajyan: The Nov 10 Statement, Two Years On [EP177]
Posted on Monday, Nov 14, 2022 | Category: Politics, Artsakh, Armenia, Nagorno Karabakh, Azerbaijan, Turkey, Russia, Iran, European Union, Ukraine, Genocide, Economy, Israel, IndiaGuests:
Topics:
- November 10 “Ceasefire”
- Weâll talk with our guests in Yerevan and Stepanakert about their perceptions of where we are in terms of ceasing fire, two years later.
- The Peace is Dead, Long Live the Peace
- Weâll talk about increased war rhetoric from Azerbaijan, threatening Armenia, Russia, Iran, and anyone else who comes to Armeniaâs aid. With the pressure increasing and Aliyevâs two-month deadline approaching, weâll investigate the possibility of renewed war.
Episode 177 | Recorded: November 14, 2022
Rally in Stepanakert | Sullivan Plan | CSTO Security Council Convened | Trilateral in Sochi | Pashinyan in Tehran [EP173]
Posted on Wednesday, Nov 2, 2022 | Category: Politics, Artsakh, Armenia, Nagorno Karabakh, Azerbaijan, USA, European Union, Russia, Iran, Turkey, Georgia, Israel, Syria, Genocide, China, Human Rights, Ukraine | Series: cog
Guest:
Topics:
- Massive Stepanakert Rally
- The Sullivan Plan
- CSTO Security Council Convened
- Trilateral Summit in Sochi
- From Sochi to Tehran
Episode 173 | Recorded: November 1, 2022
Rally in Stepanakert | Sullivan Plan | CSTO Security Council Convened | Trilateral in Sochi | Pashinyan in Tehran [EP173]
Posted on Wednesday, Nov 2, 2022 | Category: Politics, Artsakh, Armenia, Nagorno Karabakh, Azerbaijan, USA, European Union, Russia, Iran, Turkey, Georgia, Israel, Syria, Genocide, China, Human Rights, UkraineGuest:
Topics:
- Massive Stepanakert Rally
- The Sullivan Plan
- CSTO Security Council Convened
- Trilateral Summit in Sochi
- From Sochi to Tehran
Episode 173 | Recorded: November 1, 2022