Tag: 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.

Armenia’s Diplomacy and Corridors Politics | Ep. 93 - Oct 19, 2021 [EP93]

Posted on Tuesday, Oct 19, 2021 | Category: Armenia, Artsakh, Azerbaijan, Nagorno Karabakh, Iran, Turkey, Economy, India

Armenia’s Diplomacy and Corridor Politics

Topics:

  • In the past month a flurry of diplomatic activity has risen around Armenia. The top diplomats from neighboring countries, regional and global powers have met with Armenia’s top leadership to discuss the shifting geopolitics reshaping the South Caucasus politically and economically for the coming decades. How is Armenia’s diplomacy navigating the “Corridor Politics” and what are the prospects for a peaceful neighborhood?

Guest:

Episode 93 | Recorded: October 18, 2021

Saakashvili in Georgia | Putin Erdogan in Sochi | OSCE MG in NK | Tonoyan in Jail | Ep 91 Oct 3 2021 [EP91]

Posted on Monday, Oct 4, 2021 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Georgia, Geopolitics, Russia, Azerbaijan, Turkey, Artsakh, Ukraine, Iran, Syria, China | Series: WIR

ANN/Groong Week in Review - October 3, 2021

Topics:

  • Saakashvili Back in Georgia
  • Putin, Erdogan, in Sochi
  • OSCE Minsk Group in Artsakh?
  • Tonoyan, Galstyan in Jail
  • Hovik in Stepanakert

Guests:

  • Benyamin Poghosyan TW/@benyamin_poghos
  • Pietro Shakarian

Hosts:

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

Episode 91 | Recorded: October 3, 2021 https://groong.org/podcasts/WiR-20211003.html

Saakashvili in Georgia | Putin Erdogan in Sochi | OSCE MG in NK | Tonoyan in Jail | Ep 91 Oct 3 2021 [EP91]

Posted on Monday, Oct 4, 2021 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Georgia, Geopolitics, Russia, Azerbaijan, Turkey, Artsakh, Ukraine, Iran, Syria, China

ANN/Groong Week in Review - October 3, 2021

Topics:

  • Saakashvili Back in Georgia
  • Putin, Erdogan, in Sochi
  • OSCE Minsk Group in Artsakh?
  • Tonoyan, Galstyan in Jail
  • Hovik in Stepanakert

Guests:

  • Benyamin Poghosyan TW/@benyamin_poghos
  • Pietro Shakarian

Hosts:

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

Episode 91 | Recorded: October 3, 2021 https://groong.org/podcasts/WiR-20211003.html

One-year anniversary of Artsakh War | Can the Opposition Reorg | TARC 2.0 | Ep 90 - Sep 26, 2021 [EP90]

Posted on Sunday, Sep 26, 2021 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Turkey, Russia | Series: wir

Guest:

  • Tevan Poghosyan, is president of the International Center for Human Development in Yerevan. Mr. Poghosyan was an MP in the National Assembly between 2012 and 2017 from the Heritage party. From 1997 to 1999 he served as the Nagorno-Karabakh Public Affairs Office Director in Washington, D.C.

Topic:

  • The One-year anniversary of The War in Artsakh
  • Can the Opposition Reorganize?
  • Turkish-Armenian Possible Rapprochement

Episode 90 | Recorded: September 27, 2021

One-year anniversary of Artsakh War | Can the Opposition Reorg | TARC 2.0 | Ep 90 - Sep 26, 2021 [EP90]

Posted on Sunday, Sep 26, 2021 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Turkey, Russia

Guest:

  • Tevan Poghosyan, is president of the International Center for Human Development in Yerevan. Mr. Poghosyan was an MP in the National Assembly between 2012 and 2017 from the Heritage party. From 1997 to 1999 he served as the Nagorno-Karabakh Public Affairs Office Director in Washington, D.C.

Topic:

  • The One-year anniversary of The War in Artsakh
  • Can the Opposition Reorganize?
  • Turkish-Armenian Possible Rapprochement

Episode 90 | Recorded: September 27, 2021

Independence Day | Pashinyan's Turkish Overtures | Goris-Kapan Highway | Ep #89 - Sep 19, 2021 [EP89]

Posted on Tuesday, Sep 21, 2021 | Category: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Turkey, Iran, Russia, Georgia, Artsakh, Ukraine, Economy, Genocide, Israel | Series: WIR

ANN/Groong Week in Review - September 19, 2021

Topics:

  • Independence Day
  • Pashinyan’s Turkish overtures
  • Goris-Kapan highway

Guests:

  • Dr. Pietro Shakarian

Host:

  • Hovik Manucharyan

Episode #89 | Recorded: September 20, 2021 Website: https://groong.org/podcasts/WiR-20210919.html

Independence Day | Pashinyan's Turkish Overtures | Goris-Kapan Highway | Ep #89 - Sep 19, 2021 [EP89]

Posted on Tuesday, Sep 21, 2021 | Category: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Turkey, Iran, Russia, Georgia, Artsakh, Ukraine, Economy, Genocide, Israel

ANN/Groong Week in Review - September 19, 2021

Topics:

  • Independence Day
  • Pashinyan’s Turkish overtures
  • Goris-Kapan highway

Guests:

  • Dr. Pietro Shakarian

Host:

  • Hovik Manucharyan

Episode #89 | Recorded: September 20, 2021 Website: https://groong.org/podcasts/WiR-20210919.html

Pashinyan Shuns NK | TARC 2.0 | Taliban 2.0 | World Affairs & Pol Analysis | Ep #88 - Sep 5, 2021 [EP88]

Posted on Monday, Sep 6, 2021 | Category: Armenia, Turkey, Russia, Georgia, Economy, Iran, Azerbaijan, China, Ukraine, Genocide, Syria, Israel | Series: WIR

ANN/Groong Week in Review - September 5, 2021

Topics:

  • Pashinyan & Co. Shun Artsakh Independence
  • Turkey-Armenia Reconciliation Reconstituted?
  • Afghanistan: Taliban 2.0?
  • State of World Affairs
  • State of Political Analysis

Guests:

  • Asbed Kotchikian TW/@AsbedK

Hosts:

  • Asbed Bedrossian TW/@qubriq

Episode #88 | Recorded: September 3, 2021 https://groong.org/podcasts/WiR-20210905.html

Pashinyan Shuns NK | TARC 2.0 | Taliban 2.0 | World Affairs & Pol Analysis | Ep #88 - Sep 5, 2021 [EP88]

Posted on Monday, Sep 6, 2021 | Category: Armenia, Turkey, Russia, Georgia, Economy, Iran, Azerbaijan, China, Ukraine, Genocide, Syria, Israel

ANN/Groong Week in Review - September 5, 2021

Topics:

  • Pashinyan & Co. Shun Artsakh Independence
  • Turkey-Armenia Reconciliation Reconstituted?
  • Afghanistan: Taliban 2.0?
  • State of World Affairs
  • State of Political Analysis

Guests:

  • Asbed Kotchikian TW/@AsbedK

Hosts:

  • Asbed Bedrossian TW/@qubriq

Episode #88 | Recorded: September 3, 2021 https://groong.org/podcasts/WiR-20210905.html