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.

Instability on Am-Az Borders | Commission on War | 1st Sess of New Parliament | Ep #84 - Aug 1, 2021 [EP84]

Posted on Monday, Aug 2, 2021 | Category: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Russia, Turkey, Georgia, Economy, Iran, Artsakh, Human Rights, India, Syria

ANN/Groong Week in Review - August 1, 2021

Topics:

  • Continued Instability along Armenia-Azerbaijan Borders
  • National Assembly Commission on the 44-Day War
  • First Session of the 8th Session of the Armenian Parliament

Guests:

  • Asbed Kotchikian
  • Benyamin Poghosyan

Hosts:

  • Hovik Manucharyan
  • Asbed Bedrossian

Episode 84 | Recorded: August 2, 2021 https://groong.org/podcasts/WiR-20210801.html

Escalation in Yeraskh | Gunpoint Diplomacy | Emigration | Guest Trip Report | Ep. 81 - July 25, 2021 [EP81]

Posted on Tuesday, Jul 27, 2021 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Geopolitics, Russia, Azerbaijan, Turkey, Artsakh, Iran, Middle East, Economy, China, Georgia, Lebanon, Ukraine | Series: WIR

ANN/Groong Week in Review - July 25, 2021

Topics:

  • Escalation in Yeraskh
  • “Peace Treaty” at Gunpoint
  • Emigration out of Armenia
  • Trip Report from Our Guests

Guests:

Episode 81 | Recorded: July 26, 2021

Escalation in Yeraskh | Gunpoint Diplomacy | Emigration | Guest Trip Report | Ep. 81 - July 25, 2021 [EP81]

Posted on Tuesday, Jul 27, 2021 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Geopolitics, Russia, Azerbaijan, Turkey, Artsakh, Iran, Middle East, Economy, China, Georgia, Lebanon, Ukraine

ANN/Groong Week in Review - July 25, 2021

Topics:

  • Escalation in Yeraskh
  • “Peace Treaty” at Gunpoint
  • Emigration out of Armenia
  • Trip Report from Our Guests

Guests:

Episode 81 | Recorded: July 26, 2021

Armenian Foreign policy Between War and Peace | Ep #80 - July 22, 2021 [EP80]

Posted on Thursday, Jul 22, 2021 | Category: Armenia, Russia, Turkey, Azerbaijan, Iran, Artsakh, Ukraine, Georgia, China, India, Syria, Economy, Middle East | Series: COG

Armenian Foreign policy Between War and Peace A Conversation with Dr. Pietro Shakarian and Yeghia Tashjian

Topics:

  • Sparring Partners: Moscow and Ankara
  • Yerevan’s Diplomatic Dilemmas
  • Aliyev’s Appetite and Ambitions

Guests

  • Dr. Pietro Shakarian
  • Yeghia Tashjian

Hosts:

  • Hovik Manucharyan
  • Asbed Bedrossian

Episode 80 | Recorded: July 21, 2021 Website: https://groong.org/podcasts/CoG-20210722.html

Armenian Foreign policy Between War and Peace | Ep #80 - July 22, 2021 [EP80]

Posted on Thursday, Jul 22, 2021 | Category: Armenia, Russia, Turkey, Azerbaijan, Iran, Artsakh, Ukraine, Georgia, China, India, Syria, Economy, Middle East

Armenian Foreign policy Between War and Peace A Conversation with Dr. Pietro Shakarian and Yeghia Tashjian

Topics:

  • Sparring Partners: Moscow and Ankara
  • Yerevan’s Diplomatic Dilemmas
  • Aliyev’s Appetite and Ambitions

Guests

  • Dr. Pietro Shakarian
  • Yeghia Tashjian

Hosts:

  • Hovik Manucharyan
  • Asbed Bedrossian

Episode 80 | Recorded: July 21, 2021 Website: https://groong.org/podcasts/CoG-20210722.html

Const Court Decision | PM Appts | Aliyev Threats | Russian Gens in Yerevan | Ep #79 - July 18, 2021 [EP79]

Posted on Tuesday, Jul 20, 2021 | Category: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Russia, Turkey, Genocide, Armenian Genocide, Artsakh, Syria, Iran, Economy, Georgia, Ukraine | Series: WIR

ANN/Groong Week in Review - July 18, 2021

Topics:

  • Constitutional Court Decisions on Election Results
  • New Pashinyan Appointments
  • More Threats from Azerbaijan
  • Russian Generals in Yerevan Again

Guests:

  • Suren Sargsyan

Hosts:

  • Hovik Manucharyan
  • Asbed Bedrossian

Episode 79 | Recorded: July 19, 2021 https://groong.org/podcasts/WiR-20210718.html

Const Court Decision | PM Appts | Aliyev Threats | Russian Gens in Yerevan | Ep #79 - July 18, 2021 [EP79]

Posted on Tuesday, Jul 20, 2021 | Category: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Russia, Turkey, Genocide, Armenian Genocide, Artsakh, Syria, Iran, Economy, Georgia, Ukraine

ANN/Groong Week in Review - July 18, 2021

Topics:

  • Constitutional Court Decisions on Election Results
  • New Pashinyan Appointments
  • More Threats from Azerbaijan
  • Russian Generals in Yerevan Again

Guests:

  • Suren Sargsyan

Hosts:

  • Hovik Manucharyan
  • Asbed Bedrossian

Episode 79 | Recorded: July 19, 2021 https://groong.org/podcasts/WiR-20210718.html

Putin / Pashinyan | Const. Court | Steel out of Velvet | Year-in-Review (Ep #78) - July 11, 2021 [EP78]

Posted on Tuesday, Jul 13, 2021 | Category: Armenia, Russia, Turkey, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Economy, Iran, Ukraine, Artsakh, Syria, Genocide, Middle East | Series: WIR

ANN/Groong Week in Review - July 11, 2021

Topics:

  • Putin / Pashinyan meeting
  • Constitutional Court Challenge
  • Forging Steel out of Velvet
  • Groong Podcast’s Year-in-Review

Guests: Asbed Kotchikian

Hosts:

  • Hovik Manucharyan
  • Asbed Bedrossian

Website: https://groong.org/podcasts/WiR-20210711.html

Episode 78 | Recorded: July 11, 2021

Putin / Pashinyan | Const. Court | Steel out of Velvet | Year-in-Review (Ep #78) - July 11, 2021 [EP78]

Posted on Tuesday, Jul 13, 2021 | Category: Armenia, Russia, Turkey, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Economy, Iran, Ukraine, Artsakh, Syria, Genocide, Middle East

ANN/Groong Week in Review - July 11, 2021

Topics:

  • Putin / Pashinyan meeting
  • Constitutional Court Challenge
  • Forging Steel out of Velvet
  • Groong Podcast’s Year-in-Review

Guests: Asbed Kotchikian

Hosts:

  • Hovik Manucharyan
  • Asbed Bedrossian

Website: https://groong.org/podcasts/WiR-20210711.html

Episode 78 | Recorded: July 11, 2021