Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, in an interview with France 24 TV, conveyed that his nation's involvement in the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) has effectively been halted. Furthermore, Pashinyan asserted that the matter of shuttering the Russian military base in Armenia “is not presently a priority agenda.”
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“I think that the organization failed to fulfill its security commitments concerning Armenia, particularly during 2021 and 2022. This state of affairs could not be overlooked. Currently, we have essentially suspended our engagement with this organization. Let us observe what unfolds in the future,” Pashinyan responded to inquiries from the French journalist regarding Armenia's potential withdrawal from the CSTO.
Dmitry Peskov, the spokesperson for the Russian president, reacted to Pashinyan’s remarks by stating that Armenia has not taken formal steps to pause its membership in the organization. “We intend to reach out to our counterparts and gain clarity on the significance of these statements. Understanding the particulars is crucial, and we trust that our Armenian associates will provide us with elucidation,” Peskov informed Russian media outlets.
Nikol Pashinyan has on numerous occasions criticized the Collective Security Treaty Organization, which is dominated by Russia, for its failure to extend assistance during conflicts between Armenia and Azerbaijan.
In November 2022, Pashinyan refrained from endorsing the organization's Security Council declaration due to its omission of “a political evaluation of Azerbaijan's aggression against Armenia's territorial integrity.” In January 2023, the Prime Minister declined to host the organization's joint exercises, “Indestructible Brotherhood 2023,” on Armenian soil. Armenia abstained from participating in the drills conducted in Belarus in July. Furthermore, in November, Nikol Pashinyan was absent from the organization's Minsk summit.
Established in 2002, the Collective Security Treaty Organization comprises Russia, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan.
