Zangezur Corridor

Last updated: May 29, 2026

The Zangezur Corridor refers to Azerbaijan and Turkey’s longstanding demand for a transit route through Armenia’s Syunik province that would connect Azerbaijan proper to its Nakhchivan exclave and onward to Turkey. Azerbaijani officials have argued that the November 2020 ceasefire agreement obligates Armenia to provide this corridor, a reading Armenia has contested.

With 80 episodes of coverage, the Zangezur Corridor is one of the most frequently discussed geopolitical topics on Groong. The demand is central to the Armenia-Azerbaijan peace negotiations: critics in Armenia argue that granting the corridor would require ceding sovereign control over a strategically vital strip of territory in the country’s southernmost province, effectively cutting Armenia off from Iran. Supporters of the peace process argue that a corridor under Armenian sovereignty and jurisdiction is a manageable compromise.

The corridor question intersects with TRIPP — the Trump administration’s rebranding of the same connectivity concept as an economic initiative — and with the North-South Corridor , which runs through the same region in the opposite direction. Groong episodes examine the legal interpretations of the 2020 ceasefire, the negotiating positions of Armenia and Azerbaijan, the role of Russia and the West, and the domestic Armenian political debate over whether any corridor agreement is acceptable.

Groong episodes that include this tag

Below are all Groong episodes tagged with Zangezur Corridor.

Guest(s):

Topics:

  • AI chips tied to TRIPP diplomacy
  • Data centers raise major energy questions
  • Armenia faces severe education outcomes
  • Government reforms versus poor student performance
  • Azerbaijan targets Armenian heritage in Artsakh
  • Gas dependence exposes Armenia to shocks

Episode 586 | Recorded: September 16, 2026

#Armenia #TRIPP #ArtificialIntelligence #EducationCrisis #Artsakh #EnergySecurity #SouthCaucasus #HrantMikaelian

Guest(s):

Topics:

  • AI chips tied to TRIPP diplomacy
  • Data centers raise major energy questions
  • Armenia faces severe education outcomes
  • Government reforms versus poor student performance
  • Azerbaijan targets Armenian heritage in Artsakh
  • Gas dependence exposes Armenia to shocks

Episode 586 | Recorded: September 16, 2026

#Armenia #TRIPP #ArtificialIntelligence #EducationCrisis #Artsakh #EnergySecurity #SouthCaucasus #HrantMikaelian

In this episode of Conversations on Groong, we speak with Hrant Mikaelian about chip diplomacy, the TRIPP framework, and Armenia’s structural economic vulnerabilities. We discuss how the U.S. fast-tracked advanced AI exports to secure the Armenia-Azerbaijan Peace Process agreement, the massive energy demands of the planned Firebird data center, Armenia’s deepening education crisis, and the risks of energy dependence as the Armenian Nuclear Power Plant approaches shutdown.

AI Chips for 99 Years of Armenian Territory [EP585]

Posted on Wednesday, Sep 16, 2026 | Category: Politics, Technology, USA

A Wall Street Journal report says the U.S. dangled NVIDIA AI chips to get Armenia to sign the TRIPP corridor. The hosts weigh revocable chips against a 99-year deal.

Topics:

  • 2022 border war and its legacy
  • Hajiyev spouts hate, EU reps giggle
  • Armenia’s muted response to Azerbaijan
  • TRIPP, NVIDIA chips, and sovereignty
  • Pashinyan’s Paris space summit visit
  • Russian money flows through Armenia
  • Russia-Iran coordination in South Caucasus
  • Political prosecutions and Grigoryan reshuffle

Episode 585 | Recorded: September 14, 2026

#Armenia #Artsakh #Gandzasar #TRIPP #SouthCaucasus #Azerbaijan #Russia #Iran

Topics:

  • 2022 border war and its legacy
  • Hajiyev spouts hate, EU reps giggle
  • Armenia’s muted response to Azerbaijan
  • TRIPP, NVIDIA chips, and sovereignty
  • Pashinyan’s Paris space summit visit
  • Russian money flows through Armenia
  • Russia-Iran coordination in South Caucasus
  • Political prosecutions and Grigoryan reshuffle

Episode 585 | Recorded: September 14, 2026

#Armenia #Artsakh #Gandzasar #TRIPP #SouthCaucasus #Azerbaijan #Russia #Iran

In this Groong Week in Review episode, Hovik and Asbed examine the fourth anniversary of the September 2022 border war, Azerbaijan’s ongoing occupation of Armenian territory, and Pashinyan’s political trajectory toward recognizing Artsakh’s loss. We discuss Hajiyev’s inflammatory rhetoric, Armenia’s muted diplomatic response, TRIPP and semiconductor sovereignty, Pashinyan’s attendance at a Paris space summit, Russian financial flows through Armenia, and Russia-Iran coordination in the South Caucasus.

Guest(s):

Topics:

  • U.S. objectives in the Iran war
  • Russia’s 102nd base in Armenia
  • Pashinyan’s sovereignty policy contradictions
  • Great-power rivalry across Central Asia
  • U.S. and EU interests in TRIPP
  • Armenia’s place in Eurasian competition

Episode 583 | Recorded: Sep 4, 2026

#Armenia #IranWar #TRIPP #CentralAsia #Russia #UnitedStates #Geopolitics #SouthCaucasus

Guest(s):

Topics:

  • U.S. objectives in the Iran war
  • Russia’s 102nd base in Armenia
  • Pashinyan’s sovereignty policy contradictions
  • Great-power rivalry across Central Asia
  • U.S. and EU interests in TRIPP
  • Armenia’s place in Eurasian competition

Episode 583 | Recorded: Sep 4, 2026

#Armenia #IranWar #TRIPP #CentralAsia #Russia #UnitedStates #Geopolitics #SouthCaucasus

Suren Sargsyan traces the origins of TRIPP back decades and identifies Steve Witkoff as the key architect of the current U.S. initiative.

In this episode of Conversations on Groong, we speak with Suren Sargsyan about the Iran War and great power competition for Armenia’s strategic position. We discuss Washington’s unclear endgame in the conflict with Iran, the future of Russia’s military presence in Armenia and CSTO membership, and competing U.S. and European interests in new east-west transit routes through Armenia and Central Asia amid broader geopolitical rivalries.

Guest(s):

Topics:

  • Significance of the Mecca joint defense pact
  • Iran warns Armenia over TRIPP
  • Aliyev advances plans through Syunik
  • Armenia faces growing energy dependence
  • Russia sets deadlines for Yerevan
  • Opposition tests its parliamentary strategy

Episode 579 | Recorded: August 18, 2026

#Armenia #SouthCaucasus #Mecca #TRIPP #Iran #Russia #Azerbaijan #EAEU #CSTO

Guest(s):

Topics:

  • Significance of the Mecca joint defense pact
  • Iran warns Armenia over TRIPP
  • Aliyev advances plans through Syunik
  • Armenia faces growing energy dependence
  • Russia sets deadlines for Yerevan
  • Opposition tests its parliamentary strategy

Episode 579 | Recorded: August 18, 2026

#Armenia #SouthCaucasus #Mecca #TRIPP #Iran #Russia #Azerbaijan #EAEU #CSTO

In this episode of Conversations on Groong, we speak with Dziunik Aghajanian about Armenia’s precarious position between Iran, Russia, and emerging Middle East power shifts. We discuss the Mecca joint defense pact signed by Turkey, Pakistan, and Saudi Arabia, Iran’s warnings over TRIPP, Ilham Aliyev’s militarization plans in Nakhijevan, Armenia’s growing energy dependence, Russian deadlines for Yerevan, and how the Established Opposition is testing its parliamentary strategy ahead of the 2026 Armenian Parliamentary Election.

Aliyev’s TRIPP, Russia’s Deadline, Iran’s Warning | Ep 578, Aug 16, 2026 [EP578]

Posted on Wednesday, Aug 19, 2026 | Category: Armenia, Politics | Series: wir, video

Topics:

  • US-Iran War Risks Return
  • Armenia Faces Regional Spillover Risks
  • Russia Pressures Armenia Over Western Pivot
  • TRIPP Deepens Security and Energy Risks
  • Domestic Politics Grow More Confrontational
  • Arrests and Prosecutions Fuel Repression Claims

Episode 578 | Recorded: August 17, 2026

#Armenia #IranWar #TRIPP #Syunik #SouthCaucasus #RussiaArmenia #Nakhichevan #ArmenianPolitics

Topics:

  • US-Iran War Risks Return
  • Armenia Faces Regional Spillover Risks
  • Russia Pressures Armenia Over Western Pivot
  • TRIPP Deepens Security and Energy Risks
  • Domestic Politics Grow More Confrontational
  • Arrests and Prosecutions Fuel Repression Claims

Episode 578 | Recorded: August 17, 2026

#Armenia #IranWar #TRIPP #Syunik #SouthCaucasus #RussiaArmenia #Nakhichevan #ArmenianPolitics

In this episode of Groong Week in Review, Hovik and Asbed discuss Armenia’s precarious position amid escalating Iran War risks, Russia’s December ultimatum on the Eurasian Economic Union, and deepening security threats from TRIPP. We examine how a broader US-Iran conflict could devastate Armenia through refugee flows and logistics collapse, why Pashinyan’s EAEU defiance has triggered Russian pressure, and what frozen CSTO membership actually means for Armenian security.

Pashinyan’s Church War, the Russia-EU Choice, and TRIPP | Ep 576, Aug 9, 2026 [EP576]

Posted on Wednesday, Aug 12, 2026 | Category: Armenia, Politics | Series: wir, video

Topics:

  • Turkey-Pakistan-Saudi Alliance
  • Iran War Update
  • Catholicos on Trial
  • EAEU Meeting in Cholpon-Ata
  • Corruption & Persecutions

Episode 576 | Recorded: August 10, 2026

#Armenia #ArmenianPolitics #ArmenianChurch #GareginII #TRIPP #ArmeniaRussia #SouthCaucasus #Groong

Topics:

  • Turkey-Pakistan-Saudi Alliance
  • Iran War Update
  • Catholicos on Trial
  • EAEU Meeting in Cholpon-Ata
  • Corruption & Persecutions

Episode 576 | Recorded: August 10, 2026

#Armenia #ArmenianPolitics #ArmenianChurch #GareginII #TRIPP #ArmeniaRussia #SouthCaucasus #Groong

In this week’s Groong episode, the hosts examine Pashinyan’s confrontation with the Armenian Church, Armenia’s strategic positioning between Russia and the EU, and the geopolitical implications of TRIPP. We discuss the trial of Catholicos Garegin II, Iran’s military leadership realignment, the Turkey-Pakistan-Saudi Arabia defense pact, and how these shifts reshape Armenia’s role in the South Caucasus.

Topics:

  • New parliament is sworn in
  • Tigranashen and Armenia’s territorial red lines
  • Civil Contract’s evasive enclave answers
  • Armenia challenges Russia’s railway concession
  • TRIPP reshapes regional power and transit

Episode 574 | Recorded: August 3, 2026

#ArmenianNews #Tigranashen #ArmenianRailways #TRIPP #SouthCaucasus #ArmeniaRussia #ZangezurCorridor #Geopolitics

Topics:

  • New parliament is sworn in
  • Tigranashen and Armenia’s territorial red lines
  • Civil Contract’s evasive enclave answers
  • Armenia challenges Russia’s railway concession
  • TRIPP reshapes regional power and transit

Episode 574 | Recorded: August 3, 2026

#ArmenianNews #Tigranashen #ArmenianRailways #TRIPP #SouthCaucasus #ArmeniaRussia #ZangezurCorridor #Geopolitics

In this week’s Groong Week in Review, Hovik and Asbed discuss Armenia’s new parliament sworn in on August 2, 2026, and the Armenia Alliance’s direct challenge to Civil Contract over Tigranashen. We examine the government’s evasive responses on territorial red lines, Armenia’s challenge to Russia’s railway concession, and how TRIPP reshapes regional power dynamics in the South Caucasus.

Guest(s):

Topics:

  • US Foreign Policy & the Fracture of MAGA
  • Iran and the Risk of Forever Wars
  • NATO 3.0 and Europe’s Militarization
  • Post-2026 Election Armenia
  • TRIPP and Pashinyan’s Pivot to the West

Episode 572 | Recorded: July 29, 2026

#ForeverWars #NATO #IranWar #Armenia #TRIPP #MAGA #USForeignPolicy #SouthCaucasus

Guest(s):

Topics:

  • US Foreign Policy & the Fracture of MAGA
  • Iran and the Risk of Forever Wars
  • NATO 3.0 and Europe’s Militarization
  • Post-2026 Election Armenia
  • TRIPP and Pashinyan’s Pivot to the West

Episode 572 | Recorded: July 29, 2026

#ForeverWars #NATO #IranWar #Armenia #TRIPP #MAGA #USForeignPolicy #SouthCaucasus

In this episode of Conversations on Groong, we speak with Christine Arakelian about American foreign policy fractures, Iran war risks, and Armenia’s pivot to the West. We discuss whether the United States has coherent foreign policy, the collapse of the MAGA coalition over Forever Wars, NATO 3.0 and Europe’s militarization, and how Pashinyan’s post-2026 Armenian Parliamentary Election government is navigating TRIPP amid global instability.

Guest(s):

Topics:

  • Ukraine’s long war and endgame
  • Novorossiya and a landlocked Ukraine?
  • Europe rearms against Russia
  • NATO 3.0 and containment
  • Armenia’s post-election Western pivot
  • EU promises versus EAEU dependence
  • TRIPP, Syunik, and Russian red lines

Episode 566 | Recorded: July 9, 2026

#Russia #UkraineWar #NATO #Europe #Armenia #SouthCaucasus #TRIPP #Syunik #EAEU

Guest(s):

Topics:

  • Ukraine’s long war and endgame
  • Novorossiya and a landlocked Ukraine?
  • Europe rearms against Russia
  • NATO 3.0 and containment
  • Armenia’s post-election Western pivot
  • EU promises versus EAEU dependence
  • TRIPP, Syunik, and Russian red lines

Episode 566 | Recorded: July 9, 2026

#Russia #UkraineWar #NATO #Europe #Armenia #SouthCaucasus #TRIPP #Syunik #EAEU

In this episode of Conversations on Groong, we speak with Dr. Dmitry Suslov about Russia’s strategic position across multiple fronts: the Ukraine War, Armenia’s post-election Western pivot, TRIPP and Syunik, and Europe’s rearmament against Russia. We discuss the long-term confrontation between Russia and NATO, Pashinyan’s Western alignment after the June 2026 Armenian Parliamentary Election, and how transport corridors in the South Caucasus may reshape regional containment lines.

Guest(s):

Topics:

  • Ukraine’s war of attrition
  • Russia’s strategic bandwidth problem
  • TRIPP and Iran’s red lines
  • Israel’s Armenian Genocide move
  • Armenia’s Western pivot after elections

Episode 565 | Recorded: July 8, 2026

#ArmenianNews #SouthCaucasus #UkraineWar #Russia #Armenia #EAEU #TRIPP #Geopolitics

Guest(s):

Topics:

  • Ukraine’s war of attrition
  • Russia’s strategic bandwidth problem
  • TRIPP and Iran’s red lines
  • Israel’s Armenian Genocide move
  • Armenia’s Western pivot after elections

Episode 565 | Recorded: July 8, 2026

#ArmenianNews #SouthCaucasus #UkraineWar #Russia #Armenia #EAEU #TRIPP #Geopolitics

In this episode of Conversations on Groong, we speak with Dr. Sergey Markedonov about Russia’s strategic position amid the Ukraine War and its implications for Armenia. We discuss why Moscow remains bogged down in Ukraine despite its military superiority, how the war of attrition shapes Russian bandwidth for the South Caucasus, the geopolitical role of the Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity, and Pashinyan’s Western pivot following the June 2026 Armenian Parliamentary Election.

Guest(s):

Topics:

  • US-Iran negotiations and regional risks
  • TRIPP and shifting regional power
  • Armenia’s contested post-election landscape
  • Opposition failures and future strategy
  • Risks of another parliamentary election

Episode 560 | Recorded: June 22, 2026

#ArmeniaElections #USIranNegotiations #SouthCaucasus #TRIPP #Iran #ArmanGrigoryan

Guest(s):

Topics:

  • US-Iran negotiations and regional risks
  • TRIPP and shifting regional power
  • Armenia’s contested post-election landscape
  • Opposition failures and future strategy
  • Risks of another parliamentary election

Episode 560 | Recorded: June 22, 2026

#ArmeniaElections #USIranNegotiations #SouthCaucasus #TRIPP #Iran #ArmanGrigoryan

In this episode of Conversations on Groong, we speak with Dr. Arman Grigoryan about US-Iran negotiations and Armenia’s contested post-election landscape. We discuss the prospects for a US-Iran agreement, its implications for TRIPP and Iran-Russia relations, the aftermath of the 2026 Armenian Parliamentary Election, and how shifting great-power dynamics reshape the South Caucasus.

Armenian Parliamentary Election, US-Iran Agreement | Ep 558, Jun 14, 2026 [EP558]

Posted on Tuesday, Jun 16, 2026 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Iran | Series: wir, video

Topics:

  • Armenian Election Aftermath
  • Armenia-Georgia Relations
  • US-Iran Interim Agreement

Episode 558 | Recorded: June 15, 2026

#Armenia #ArmenianNews #ArmenianElections #CivilContract #Pashinyan #ArmenianConstitution #Referendum #ProsperousArmenia #SouthCaucasus #CEC

Topics:

  • Armenian Election Aftermath
  • Armenia-Georgia Relations
  • US-Iran Interim Agreement

Episode 558 | Recorded: June 15, 2026

#Armenia #ArmenianNews #ArmenianElections #CivilContract #Pashinyan #ArmenianConstitution #Referendum #ProsperousArmenia #SouthCaucasus #CEC

In this episode of Groong Week in Review for June 14, 2026, hosts Hovik Manucharyan and Asbed Bedrossian analyze the aftermath of Armenia’s 2026 Armenian Parliamentary Election, shifting Armenia-Georgia relations, and a landmark interim US-Iran agreement that reshapes regional stability. We discuss the ceasefire framework, sanctions relief, and how the Iran war’s resolution affects Armenian security, energy markets, and the broader South Caucasus landscape.

Guest(s):

Topics:

  • Free and fair elections
  • Polls and opposition unity
  • Hayastan Dashinq platform
  • TRIPP and foreign policy
  • Economy and Russian pressure

Episode 551 | Recorded: May 30, 2026

#ArmeniaElections #ArthurKhachatryan #HayastanDashinq #ArmenianOpposition #Pashinyan #TRIPP #SouthCaucasus #Groong

Guest(s):

Topics:

  • Free and fair elections
  • Polls and opposition unity
  • Hayastan Dashinq platform
  • TRIPP and foreign policy
  • Economy and Russian pressure

Episode 551 | Recorded: May 30, 2026

#ArmeniaElections #ArthurKhachatryan #HayastanDashinq #ArmenianOpposition #Pashinyan #TRIPP #SouthCaucasus #Groong

In this episode of Conversations on Groong, we speak with Arthur Khachatryan of the Hayastan Dashinq, Armenia Alliance about the 2026 Armenian Parliamentary Election scheduled for June 7. We discuss whether free and fair elections are possible given foreign interference from the West, abuse of administrative resources by the ruling Civil Contract party, media control, and competing pressures from the United States, EU, Russia, and regional actors including Turkey and Azerbaijan.

Topics:

  • Rubio’s sudden Armenia visit
  • Polls diverge before election
  • Hidden vote raises questions
  • TRIPP remains deeply polarizing
  • “Western Azerbaijan” pressure grows
  • Opposition faces arrests, threats
  • “Why are you alive?” campaign rhetoric

Episode 550 | Recorded: May 25, 2026

#ArmeniaElections #Armenia #NikolPashinyan #TRIPP #ZangezurCorridor #WesternAzerbaijan #ArmenianOpposition

Topics:

  • Rubio’s sudden Armenia visit
  • Polls diverge before election
  • Hidden vote raises questions
  • TRIPP remains deeply polarizing
  • “Western Azerbaijan” pressure grows
  • Opposition faces arrests, threats
  • “Why are you alive?” campaign rhetoric

Episode 550 | Recorded: May 25, 2026

#ArmeniaElections #Armenia #NikolPashinyan #TRIPP #ZangezurCorridor #WesternAzerbaijan #ArmenianOpposition

This Week in Review examines the tightening political climate in Armenia ahead of the June 2026 parliamentary elections. Asbed and Hovik discuss Marco Rubio’s sudden Armenia visit, new polling from IRI, MPG, and CAEAC, and what the wide gaps in voter disclosure may reveal about hidden opposition support. The episode also covers TRIPP, “Western Azerbaijan” rhetoric, public trust in the Armenian Apostolic Church, and the growing use of arrests, threats, and state pressure against opposition figures. The discussion centers on Pashinyan’s escalating campaign rhetoric, including his “Why are you alive?” outburst, and what it signals about the stakes of the coming election.

Guest:

Topics:

  • Armenia’s existential election
  • Polling under fear
  • Divergent polling results
  • Church and state conflict
  • Post-election street pressure

Episode 549 | Recorded: May 22, 2026

#Armenia #ArmenianPolitics #EdgarElbakyan #StrongArmenia #ArmeniaAlliance #ArmeniaElections

Guest:

Topics:

  • Armenia’s existential election
  • Polling under fear
  • Divergent polling results
  • Church and state conflict
  • Post-election street pressure

Episode 549 | Recorded: May 22, 2026

#Armenia #ArmenianPolitics #EdgarElbakyan #StrongArmenia #ArmeniaAlliance #ArmeniaElections

Groong News Digest — Week of May 18–24, 2026

Posted on Sunday, May 24, 2026 | Category: Digest, News Digest

Armenia’s June 7 parliamentary campaign turned sharply confrontational as security forces raided opposition offices, Russia escalated economic pressure through export bans, and Pashinyan announced new railway connectivity through Turkey while signaling further territorial concessions to Azerbaijan.

This Conversations on Groong episode features Edgar Elbakyan in a discussion of Armenia’s upcoming election and the wider struggle over the country’s political future. The conversation examines whether the vote should be viewed as an existential election, how fear and pressure shape public opinion, why polling results differ so sharply, and which political forces may be positioned to enter parliament. The episode also looks at whether the opposition is focused on the issues that matter most, including statehood, security, public trust, and the possibility that the election may not end at the ballot box.

Guest(s):

Topics:

  • Revolutionary recklessness after 2020
  • Armenia’s pivot away from Russia
  • Artsakh’s surrender and strategic reorientation
  • TRIPP, Syunik, and security guarantees
  • Western backing, Armenian risk

Episode 546 | Recorded: May 13, 2026

#ArmanGrigoryan #Armenia #Russia #Pashinyan #Artsakh #TRIPP #SouthCaucasus #Geopolitics

Guest(s):

Topics:

  • Revolutionary recklessness after 2020
  • Armenia’s pivot away from Russia
  • Artsakh’s surrender and strategic reorientation
  • TRIPP, Syunik, and security guarantees
  • Western backing, Armenian risk

Episode 546 | Recorded: May 13, 2026

#ArmanGrigoryan #Armenia #Russia #Pashinyan #Artsakh #TRIPP #SouthCaucasus #Geopolitics

Dr. Arman Grigoryan joins Groong to discuss Armenia’s post-2020 foreign policy and his argument that Pashinyan’s government has replaced one failed project, maximalist claims over Artsakh, with another: a risky strategic pivot away from Russia and toward the West. The conversation examines “revolutionary recklessness,” the roots of the 2020 war, Armenia’s worsening ties with Russia, the surrender of Artsakh, TRIPP and Syunik, Western encouragement, and the absence of firm security guarantees. Grigoryan also considers whether Armenia is gaining real sovereignty or exposing itself to greater pressure from Azerbaijan, Turkey, and Russia.

Guest(s):

Topics:

  • Election campaign and opposition strategy
  • EPC, EU-Armenia summit, and foreign influence
  • Foreign policy, security, and regional risks
  • Domestic priorities and election integrity

Episode 544 | Recorded: May 9, 2026

#AnnaGrigoryan #Armenia #ArmenianPolitics #ArmeniaElections #HayastanDashinq #EPCSummit #TRIPP #Artsakh

Guest(s):

Topics:

  • Election campaign and opposition strategy
  • EPC, EU-Armenia summit, and foreign influence
  • Foreign policy, security, and regional risks
  • Domestic priorities and election integrity

Episode 544 | Recorded: May 9, 2026

#AnnaGrigoryan #Armenia #ArmenianPolitics #ArmeniaElections #HayastanDashinq #EPCSummit #TRIPP #Artsakh

Guest(s):

Topics:

  • EU role in Armenia’s elections
  • Fact-checkers and political bias
  • Dissent labeled as disinformation
  • Lawsuits, pressure, and intimidation
  • Censorship and social media control

Episode 543 | Recorded: May 7, 2026

#Armenia #ArmenianElections #EU #Disinformation #FactChecking #Censorship #CivilSociety #FreeSpeech

Guest(s):

Topics:

  • EU role in Armenia’s elections
  • Fact-checkers and political bias
  • Dissent labeled as disinformation
  • Lawsuits, pressure, and intimidation
  • Censorship and social media control

Episode 543 | Recorded: May 7, 2026

#Armenia #ArmenianElections #EU #Disinformation #FactChecking #Censorship #CivilSociety #FreeSpeech

Anna Grigoryan of Hayastan Dashinq (Armenia Alliance) joins Groong to discuss Armenia’s June 7 parliamentary election and the start of the official campaign. The conversation examines the EPC and Armenia-EU summits in Yerevan, EU political and financial support for Pashinyan, Aliyev’s remote demarche, and opposition protests around Artsakh rights, Armenian prisoners, and democratic backsliding. The episode also covers opposition coalition math, Hayastan Dashinq’s 8% bloc threshold, Strong Armenia’s lead among opposition forces, possible post-election governing formulas,  Read More

Hovhannes Ishkhanyan and Nare Navasardyan discuss the growing role of the EU, fact-checking networks, and counter-disinformation programs in Armenia’s 2026 election environment. The conversation examines claims of foreign interference, the use of “hybrid threats” and “disinformation” labels against domestic dissent, and the political bias of Armenia’s fact-checking ecosystem. The guests also share personal experiences with lawsuits, public confrontation, protest, and censorship, raising broader questions about free speech, election fairness, and the management of Armenia’s information space.

Guest(s):

Topics:

  • Russia, Iran, Europe, multipolar order
  • Ukraine war and Russia-West tensions
  • Iran war and diplomatic offramps
  • Armenia, TRIPP, South Caucasus

Episode 541 | Recorded: May 5, 2026

#AnatolLieven #Russia #Iran #Europe #UkraineWar #SouthCaucasus

Guest(s):

Topics:

  • Russia, Iran, Europe, multipolar order
  • Ukraine war and Russia-West tensions
  • Iran war and diplomatic offramps
  • Armenia, TRIPP, South Caucasus

Episode 541 | Recorded: May 5, 2026

#AnatolLieven #Russia #Iran #Europe #UkraineWar #SouthCaucasus

In this episode of Conversations on Groong, Dr. Anatol Lieven joins us to examine Russia’s place in a rapidly shifting global order. The discussion looks at the war in Ukraine, the state of Russia-EU relations after Viktor Orbán’s political defeat, and the uncertain trajectory of the war on Iran, including whether any real diplomatic offramp still exists. They also explore whether Russia’s relationship with Iran is truly strategic or mainly transactional, how China fits into the wider balance of power, and what all of this means for the South Caucasus, Armenia’s current path under Pashinyan, and Azerbaijan’s ambitions to turn wartime leverage into lasting regional influence.