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.

Normalization | Brussels Sprouts | NSC Chair in DC | Armenia Project Tour | Ep. 108 - Dec 19, 2021 [EP108]

Posted on Tuesday, Dec 21, 2021 | Category: Armenia, Artsakh, Azerbaijan, Turkey, Russia, Nagorno Karabakh, Artsakh Blockade, Armenian Genocide, European Union, Genocide, Georgia, Iran, Ukraine, NATO, Economy, Middle East

ANN/Groong Week in Review - December 19, 2021

Topics:

  • Turkish-Armenian normalization
  • Brussels Sprouts
  • Armen Grigoryan in Washington DC
  • The Armenian Project - US Tour
  • Analyst Rants

Guest:

Episode 108 | Recorded: December 20, 2021

Armenian and Azerbaijani Expert Perspectives on Negotiations | Ep #107 - Dec 15, 2021 [EP107]

Posted on Wednesday, Dec 15, 2021 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Geopolitics, Azerbaijan, Russia, Turkey, Iran, Georgia, Artsakh, USA, China, Syria, Armenian Genocide, Nagorno Karabakh, European Union, NATO, Genocide, Israel, India | Series: cog, video

Anar Valiyev and Benyamin Poghosyan discuss stumbling blocks in post-war negotiations

Guests:

  • Dr. Anar Valiyev, Associate Professor at Azerbaijani Diplomatic Academy (ADA) University in Baku.
  • Dr. Benyamin Poghosyan, Chairman of Yerevan-based think tank Center for Political and Economic Strategic Studies.

Topics:

  • Artsakh Status (@4:54)
  • Is the conflict really “solved” (@11:04)
  • Opening of Communications (@38:52)
  • Corridor for Corridor (@46:32)
  • “Unimpeded” Access (@50:15)
  • Russia’s regional role (@53:16)
  • Turkey’s regional role (@58:48)
  • 3+3 or 3+2 Format
 Read More

Armenian and Azerbaijani Expert Perspectives on Negotiations | Ep #107 - Dec 15, 2021 [EP107]

Posted on Wednesday, Dec 15, 2021 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Geopolitics, Azerbaijan, Russia, Turkey, Iran, Georgia, Artsakh, USA, China, Syria, Armenian Genocide, Nagorno Karabakh, European Union, NATO, Genocide, Israel, India

Anar Valiyev and Benyamin Poghosyan discuss stumbling blocks in post-war negotiations

Guests:

  • Dr. Anar Valiyev, Associate Professor at Azerbaijani Diplomatic Academy (ADA) University in Baku.
  • Dr. Benyamin Poghosyan, Chairman of Yerevan-based think tank Center for Political and Economic Strategic Studies.

Topics:

  • Artsakh Status (@4:54)
  • Is the conflict really “solved” (@11:04)
  • Opening of Communications (@38:52)
  • Corridor for Corridor (@46:32)
  • “Unimpeded” Access (@50:15)
  • Russia’s regional role (@53:16)
  • Turkey’s regional role (@58:48)
  • 3+3 or 3+2 Format
 Read More

Zoom for Democracy | Domestic & Regional Politics | Artsakh Republic at 30 | Ep #106 - Dec 12, 2021 [EP106]

Posted on Monday, Dec 13, 2021 | Category: Armenia, Artsakh, Politics, Geopolitics, Russia, Azerbaijan, Ukraine, Turkey, Iran, Georgia, China, Israel, Syria, Genocide, Human Rights, Economy, Armenian Genocide, Nagorno Karabakh, Artsakh Blockade, European Union, NATO, Lebanon, Middle East | Series: wir

ANN/Groong Week in Review - December 12, 2021

Topics:

  • Zoom for Democracy
  • Domestic Politics
  • Regional Politics
  • Artsakh Independence at 30
  • Analyst Rants

Guests:

  • Benyamin Poghosyan TW/@benyamin_poghos
  • Pietro Shakarian

Guest(s):

Hosts:

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

Episode 106 | Recorded: Sunday, December 12, 2021

Zoom for Democracy | Domestic & Regional Politics | Artsakh Republic at 30 | Ep #106 - Dec 12, 2021 [EP106]

Posted on Monday, Dec 13, 2021 | Category: Armenia, Artsakh, Politics, Geopolitics, Russia, Azerbaijan, Ukraine, Turkey, Iran, Georgia, China, Israel, Syria, Genocide, Human Rights, Economy, Armenian Genocide, Nagorno Karabakh, Artsakh Blockade, European Union, NATO, Lebanon, Middle East

ANN/Groong Week in Review - December 12, 2021

Topics:

  • Zoom for Democracy
  • Domestic Politics
  • Regional Politics
  • Artsakh Independence at 30
  • Analyst Rants

Guests:

  • Benyamin Poghosyan TW/@benyamin_poghos
  • Pietro Shakarian

Guest(s):

Hosts:

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

Episode 106 | Recorded: Sunday, December 12, 2021

Regional Geopolitics | Turkmen / Iran Gas | Armenian Opposition Fizzles Out | Ep #105 - Dec 5, 2021 [EP105]

Posted on Monday, Dec 6, 2021 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Iran, Azerbaijan, Russia, Turkey, China, Artsakh, Geopolitics, India, Israel, Economy, Nagorno Karabakh, European Union, Georgia, Syria, Ukraine | Series: wir

ANN/Groong Week in Review - December 5, 2021

Topics:

  • Regional Geopolitics @1:07
  • Turkmenistan / Iran Gas Swap Deal @46:58
  • Opposition Fizzles Out. Again @58:18

Guests:

  • Benyamin Poghosyan TW/@benyamin_poghos

Guest(s):

Hosts:

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

Episode 105 | Recorded: Sunday, December 5, 2021 Website: https://groong.org/podcasts/WiR-20211205.html

Regional Geopolitics | Turkmen / Iran Gas | Armenian Opposition Fizzles Out | Ep #105 - Dec 5, 2021 [EP105]

Posted on Monday, Dec 6, 2021 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Iran, Azerbaijan, Russia, Turkey, China, Artsakh, Geopolitics, India, Israel, Economy, Nagorno Karabakh, European Union, Georgia, Syria, Ukraine

ANN/Groong Week in Review - December 5, 2021

Topics:

  • Regional Geopolitics @1:07
  • Turkmenistan / Iran Gas Swap Deal @46:58
  • Opposition Fizzles Out. Again @58:18

Guests:

  • Benyamin Poghosyan TW/@benyamin_poghos

Guest(s):

Hosts:

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

Episode 105 | Recorded: Sunday, December 5, 2021 Website: https://groong.org/podcasts/WiR-20211205.html

Pashinyan Live | From Sochi to Brussels | Normalization | Co-opetition | Ep #104 - Nov 28, 2021 [EP104]

Posted on Monday, Nov 29, 2021 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Geopolitics, Russia, Turkey, Iran, Azerbaijan, Syria, Economy, Georgia, China, India, Lebanon, Artsakh, Ukraine, Genocide, Middle East, Nagorno Karabakh, European Union, NATO | Series: wir

ANN/Groong Week in Review - November 28, 2021

Topics:

  • Pashinyan Live on Facebook
  • Trilateral in Sochi, Bilateral in Brussels
  • Turkish-Armenian “Normalization”
  • Russian-Turkish “Co-opetition” in Eurasia

Guests:

  • Hrant Mikaelian TW/@hrant_m
  • Yeghia Tashjian TW/@yeghig

Guest(s):

Hosts:

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

Episode 104 | Recorded: Sunday, November 28, 2021 Website: https://groong.org/podcasts/WiR-20211128.html

Pashinyan Live | From Sochi to Brussels | Normalization | Co-opetition | Ep #104 - Nov 28, 2021 [EP104]

Posted on Monday, Nov 29, 2021 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Geopolitics, Russia, Turkey, Iran, Azerbaijan, Syria, Economy, Georgia, China, India, Lebanon, Artsakh, Ukraine, Genocide, Middle East, Nagorno Karabakh, European Union, NATO

ANN/Groong Week in Review - November 28, 2021

Topics:

  • Pashinyan Live on Facebook
  • Trilateral in Sochi, Bilateral in Brussels
  • Turkish-Armenian “Normalization”
  • Russian-Turkish “Co-opetition” in Eurasia

Guests:

  • Hrant Mikaelian TW/@hrant_m
  • Yeghia Tashjian TW/@yeghig

Guest(s):

Hosts:

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

Episode 104 | Recorded: Sunday, November 28, 2021 Website: https://groong.org/podcasts/WiR-20211128.html