Vladimir Putin

Last updated: May 29, 2026

Vladimir Putin has been the central figure in Russia’s management of the South Caucasus for over two decades. His administration brokered the November 9, 2020 ceasefire that ended the 44-Day War, deployed Russian peacekeepers to Nagorno Karabakh (Artsakh), and positioned Russia as the indispensable mediator between Armenia and Azerbaijan. That architecture has since collapsed: Russia failed to prevent the Lachin Corridor blockade , took no action during Azerbaijan’s September 2023 offensive that resulted in the ethnic cleansing of Artsakh’s entire Armenian population, and watched as Armenia systematically withdrew from Russian-led security and economic structures.

The Ukraine War , which Putin launched in February 2022, fundamentally altered Russia’s capacity and willingness to act in the South Caucasus. With military resources committed to Ukraine and diplomatic isolation from the West deepening, Moscow’s ability to enforce its South Caucasus commitments diminished sharply. Putin’s personal relationships with Aliyev and Pashinyan — and his apparent willingness to tolerate Azerbaijan’s territorial advances — have become a template for how great-power guarantees can unravel when the guarantor’s interests diverge from the guaranteed party’s needs.

Groong covers Putin’s role in South Caucasus affairs through direct analysis of Russian policy, tracking of the peace process mediation formats, and assessment of what Russian withdrawal from its traditional mediating role means for the durability of any future Armenia-Azerbaijan settlement.

Groong episodes that include this tag

Below are all Groong episodes tagged with Vladimir Putin.

Guest:

Topics:

On the Major US Presidential Candidates Do Minor Candidates Matter for us? Are We Organized Enough to Influence US Elections? How would Harris or Trump Affect Armenia & Region?

Episode 380 | Recorded: November 1, 2024

Guest:

Topics:

  • Azerbaijan Escalates Threats
  • Russia-Armenia Relations
  • Eat Rice, not Wheat, Have some Cold Winters!
  • Srbazan Movement Update
  • Regional Geopolitics
    • Iran-Russia
    • Israel-Iran
    • Georgian Elections

Episode 374 | Recorded: October 14, 2024

Guest:

Topics:

  • Azerbaijan Escalates Threats
  • Russia-Armenia Relations
  • Eat Rice, not Wheat, Have some Cold Winters!
  • Srbazan Movement Update
  • Regional Geopolitics
    • Iran-Russia
    • Israel-Iran
    • Georgian Elections

Episode 374 | Recorded: October 14, 2024

Guest:

Topics:

  • Armenian Identity and Integration in the South Caucasus
  • On the Nature and Thinking of the Armenian Constitution
  • Relations with Russia Through Time
  • The Geopolitics Around the South Caucasus

Episode 372 | Recorded: October 2, 2024

Guest:

Topics:

  • Armenian Identity and Integration in the South Caucasus
  • On the Nature and Thinking of the Armenian Constitution
  • Relations with Russia Through Time
  • The Geopolitics Around the South Caucasus

Episode 372 | Recorded: October 2, 2024

Guest:

Topics:

  • Election, Politics, and The Geopolitical Context
  • Who are the Major External Influencers in Georgia’s Politics?
  • Is Talk of Civilizational Catastrophe, or Rapprochement with Abkhazia/South Ossetia Election-time Populism?
  • Neutrality and Georgian-Armenian Relations

Episode 370 | Recorded: September 21, 2024

Guest:

Topics:

  • Election, Politics, and The Geopolitical Context
  • Who are the Major External Influencers in Georgia’s Politics?
  • Is Talk of Civilizational Catastrophe, or Rapprochement with Abkhazia/South Ossetia Election-time Populism?
  • Neutrality and Georgian-Armenian Relations

Episode 370 | Recorded: September 21, 2024

Guest:

Topics:

  • Armenian Day of Independence: Sep. 21
  • “Strategic Partnerships”
  • Armenian Azerbaijani Talks

Episode 368 | Recorded: September 23, 2024

Guest:

Topics:

  • Armenian Day of Independence: Sep. 21
  • “Strategic Partnerships”
  • Armenian Azerbaijani Talks

Episode 368 | Recorded: September 23, 2024

Guest:

Topics:

  • What is Neutrality Studies?
  • Rise of the Multi-Polar World

Episode 367 | Recorded: September 18, 2024

Guest:

Topics:

  • What is Neutrality Studies?
  • Rise of the Multi-Polar World

Episode 367 | Recorded: September 18, 2024

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Topics:

  • The Government’s Track Record
  • The State of the Economy
  • “Pivot to the West”
  • Elections in Georgia

Episode 366 | Recorded: September 18, 2024

Guest:

Topics:

  • The Government’s Track Record
  • The State of the Economy
  • “Pivot to the West”
  • Elections in Georgia

Episode 366 | Recorded: September 18, 2024

Guest:

Topics:

  • September 12-13 Anniversary
  • Between Blinken and a Hard Place
  • More USAID for Armenia
  • Georgian Parliamentary Elections

Episode 365 | Recorded: Sep. 17, 2024

Guest:

Topics:

  • September 12-13 Anniversary
  • Between Blinken and a Hard Place
  • More USAID for Armenia
  • Georgian Parliamentary Elections

Episode 365 | Recorded: Sep. 17, 2024

Guest:

Topics:

  • Election and Politics, and The Geopolitical Context
  • Who are the Major External Influencers in Georgia’s Politics?
  • Why is the EU hell bent against the Law on “Foreign Agents”?
  • Armenia, Georgia, Azerbaijan and Russia Relations

Episode 363 | Recorded: September 11, 2024

Guest:

Topics:

  • Election and Politics, and The Geopolitical Context
  • Who are the Major External Influencers in Georgia’s Politics?
  • Why is the EU hell bent against the Law on “Foreign Agents”?
  • Armenia, Georgia, Azerbaijan and Russia Relations

Episode 363 | Recorded: September 11, 2024

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Topics:

  • Norwegian & NATO Support for Ukraine
  • “The Ukraine War & the Eurasian World Order”
  • Small States and Multipolarity
  • Armenia’s Position in a Multipolar World

Episode 359 | Recorded: August 30, 2024

Guest:

Topics:

  • Norwegian & NATO Support for Ukraine
  • “The Ukraine War & the Eurasian World Order”
  • Small States and Multipolarity
  • Armenia’s Position in a Multipolar World

Episode 359 | Recorded: August 30, 2024

Norwegian & NATO Support for Ukraine. “The Ukraine War & the Eurasian World Order”. Small States and Multipolarity. Armenia’s Position in a Multipolar World.

Guest:

Topics:

  • Armenia Azerbaijan Talks
  • Declarations of Independence
    • Declaration of State Sovereignty of Armenia (1990)
    • Artsakh Independence Day - September 2 (1991)
  • Pashinyan Press Conference
    • Negotiations Formats
    • Artsakh Rights & Security as Pashinyan’s “National Security” Problem
    • Armenian and Azerbaijani Constitutions
    • Liberating Occupied Armenian Territories
  • Putin in Baku
    • Azerbaijan’s Application to BRICS

Episode 358 | Recorded: September 2, 2024

Guest:

Topics:

  • Armenia Azerbaijan Talks
  • Declarations of Independence
    • Declaration of State Sovereignty of Armenia (1990)
    • Artsakh Independence Day - September 2 (1991)
  • Pashinyan Press Conference
    • Negotiations Formats
    • Artsakh Rights & Security as Pashinyan’s “National Security” Problem
    • Armenian and Azerbaijani Constitutions
    • Liberating Occupied Armenian Territories
  • Putin in Baku
    • Azerbaijan’s Application to BRICS

Episode 358 | Recorded: September 2, 2024

Guest:

Topics:

  • Russian-Iranian Relations
  • Russian-Armenian Relations
  • Ukraine’s Kursk Gambit
  • Pavel Durov Arrested in France
  • Observations from Armenia and Russia

Episode 357 | Recorded: August 28, 2024

Guest:

Topics:

  • Russian-Iranian Relations
  • Russian-Armenian Relations
  • Ukraine’s Kursk Gambit
  • Pavel Durov Arrested in France
  • Observations from Armenia and Russia

Episode 357 | Recorded: August 28, 2024

Guest:

Topics:

  • Armenia Azerbaijan Talks
  • Goris Kapan Road Cover UP

Episode 355 | Recorded: August 19, 2024

Guest:

Topics:

  • Armenia Azerbaijan Talks
  • Goris Kapan Road Cover UP

Episode 355 | Recorded: August 19, 2024

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Topics:

Episode 354 | Recorded: August 17, 2024

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Topics:

Episode 354 | Recorded: August 17, 2024

Guest:

Topics:

  • US Leadership Changes
  • Iran Armenia Relations
  • Russian-Armenian Relations
  • EU Push for an Agreement
  • Srbazan Movement Next Steps

Episode 351 | Recorded: August 6, 2024

Guest:

Topics:

  • US Leadership Changes
  • Iran Armenia Relations
  • Russian-Armenian Relations
  • EU Push for an Agreement
  • Srbazan Movement Next Steps

Episode 351 | Recorded: August 6, 2024

Guest:

Topics:

  • New Leadership Coming to Many Countries
  • Aliyev Continues to Thumb the Nose of The West
  • Permanent US Defense Attaché to Armenia
  • Mid-year Review of our 2024 Predictions

Episode 347 | Recorded: July 22, 2024

Guest:

Topics:

  • New Leadership Coming to Many Countries
  • Aliyev Continues to Thumb the Nose of The West
  • Permanent US Defense Attaché to Armenia
  • Mid-year Review of our 2024 Predictions

Episode 347 | Recorded: July 22, 2024

Guest:

Topics:

  • Prospect of a Trump Presidency on the Caucasus
  • Update on political prisoners
  • PACE report
  • Referendum on joining EU
  • Bagrat Srbazan Tavush movement

Episode 346 | Recorded: July 18, 2024

Guest:

Topics:

  • Prospect of a Trump Presidency on the Caucasus
  • Update on political prisoners
  • PACE report
  • Referendum on joining EU
  • Bagrat Srbazan Tavush movement

Episode 346 | Recorded: July 18, 2024

Guest:

Topics:

  • Armenia, Azerbaijan, at NATO Summit
  • Border Talks Still in Chaos
    • Srbazan in Syunik
    • Pashinyan in Syunik
  • Srbazan Movement
  • Arms, or Alms for Armenia?
    • Orban, Aliyev’s Man inside the EU
    • Eagle Partner 2024 in Armenia

Episode 342 | Recorded: July 8, 2024

Guest:

Topics:

  • Armenia, Azerbaijan, at NATO Summit
  • Border Talks Still in Chaos
    • Srbazan in Syunik
    • Pashinyan in Syunik
  • Srbazan Movement
  • Arms, or Alms for Armenia?
    • Orban, Aliyev’s Man inside the EU
    • Eagle Partner 2024 in Armenia

Episode 342 | Recorded: July 8, 2024

Guest:

Topics:

  • Background on the Lemkin Institute
  • Genocide in Artsakh
  • Armenian Government’s Genocide Denial
  • Gaza and other Genocides

Episode 341 | Recorded: June 25, 2024

Guest:

Topics:

  • Background on the Lemkin Institute
  • Genocide in Artsakh
  • Armenian Government’s Genocide Denial
  • Gaza and other Genocides

Episode 341 | Recorded: June 25, 2024

Guest:

Topics:

  • Police Brutality, Violence & Repressions
  • Armenia Azerbaijan Talks
  • Armenia Russia Relations

Episode 337 | Recorded: June 17, 2024

Guest:

Topics:

  • Police Brutality, Violence & Repressions
  • Armenia Azerbaijan Talks
  • Armenia Russia Relations

Episode 337 | Recorded: June 17, 2024

Guest:

Topics:

  • Iran President and FM Killed in Helicopter Crash
  • Bagrat Srbazan Leads Mass Protests in Armenia
  • Armenian Russian Relations

Episode 333 | Recorded: May 27, 2024

Guest:

Topics:

  • Iran President and FM Killed in Helicopter Crash
  • Bagrat Srbazan Leads Mass Protests in Armenia
  • Armenian Russian Relations

Episode 333 | Recorded: May 27, 2024

Guest:

Topics:

  • Georgian Law on Foreign Agents
  • Politics and Diplomacy of Armenia
  • Parallels and Lessons from Georgia

Episode 332 | Recorded: May 25, 2024

Guest:

Topics:

  • Georgian Law on Foreign Agents
  • Politics and Diplomacy of Armenia
  • Parallels and Lessons from Georgia

Episode 332 | Recorded: May 25, 2024

Guest:

Topics:

  • USSR: A common Home & History
  • Georgia’s Foreign Agent Bill
  • Armenia-Georgian Relations

Episode 330 | Recorded: May 17, 2024

Guest:

Topics:

  • USSR: A common Home & History
  • Georgia’s Foreign Agent Bill
  • Armenia-Georgian Relations

Episode 330 | Recorded: May 17, 2024

Guest:

Topics:

  • Bagrat Srbazan Brings Masses To the Streets
  • Armenia Azerbaijan Talks Continue

Episode 329 | Recorded: May 14, 2024

Guest:

Topics:

  • Bagrat Srbazan Brings Masses To the Streets
  • Armenia Azerbaijan Talks Continue

Episode 329 | Recorded: May 14, 2024

Guest:

Topics:

  • 109th Commemorations of the Armenian Genocide
  • Pashinyan Concedes Tavush Territories
  • Russia Withdrawing Peacekeepers from Artsakh

Episode 326 | Recorded: April 24, 2024

Guest:

Topics:

  • 109th Commemorations of the Armenian Genocide
  • Pashinyan Concedes Tavush Territories
  • Russia Withdrawing Peacekeepers from Artsakh

Episode 326 | Recorded: April 24, 2024

Guest:

Topics:

  • Terror Attack in Moscow
  • Growing List of Political Prisoners in Armenia
    • Narek Samsonyan & Vazgen Saghatelyan brutally arrested
    • Narek Malyan Exonerated, Remains Jailed
  • Pashinyan in Tavush
  • Stoltenberg’s in the South Caucasus

Episode 320 | Recorded: March 25, 2024

Guest:

Topics:

  • Terror Attack in Moscow
  • Growing List of Political Prisoners in Armenia
    • Narek Samsonyan & Vazgen Saghatelyan brutally arrested
    • Narek Malyan Exonerated, Remains Jailed
  • Pashinyan in Tavush
  • Stoltenberg’s in the South Caucasus

Episode 320 | Recorded: March 25, 2024

Topics:

  • Economic Diversification
  • Systemic Corruption
  • Bank Secrecy Scrapped

Guest:

Episode 319 | Recorded: March 16, 2024

Topics:

  • Economic Diversification
  • Systemic Corruption
  • Bank Secrecy Scrapped

Guest:

Episode 319 | Recorded: March 16, 2024

Guest:

Topics:

  • Reactions to Interview with Canadian Ambassador
  • More Concessions Signaled by Pashinyan
  • EU Parliament Resolution on Armenia
  • Fish Rots from the Head

Episode 318 | Recorded: March 18, 2024

Guest:

Topics:

  • Reactions to Interview with Canadian Ambassador
  • More Concessions Signaled by Pashinyan
  • EU Parliament Resolution on Armenia
  • Fish Rots from the Head

Episode 318 | Recorded: March 18, 2024

Guest:

Topics:

  • Georgian Nationalism and Identity
  • Georgia, Armenia, post 2018
  • Accession to the EU
  • Strategic Partnership

Episode 315 | Recorded: March 12, 2024

Guest:

Topics:

  • Georgian Nationalism and Identity
  • Georgia, Armenia, post 2018
  • Accession to the EU
  • Strategic Partnership

Episode 315 | Recorded: March 12, 2024

Guest:

Topics:

  • Iran Parliamentary Elections
  • Geopolitical U-turn in Armenia?
  • Iran Armenia Relations
  • Anti-Iranian Propaganda from NGOs

Episode 314 | Recorded: March 11, 2024

Guest:

Topics:

  • Iran Parliamentary Elections
  • Geopolitical U-turn in Armenia?
  • Iran Armenia Relations
  • Anti-Iranian Propaganda from NGOs

Episode 314 | Recorded: March 11, 2024