Armenia suspends membership in the Moscow-dominated CSTO

This is Yerevan’s latest step away from Moscow, which was previously considered a traditional ally.

In an interview with France 24 television published on Thursday evening, the Armenian leader said that the organization has not fulfilled its functions in relation to Armenia in recent years.

“It might not remain without our attention. We have suspended our participation. We will see what happens next,” said N. Pashinian.

When asked regarding the possible closure of the Russian military base on the territory of Armenia, N. Pashinyan did not give a specific answer, only saying that this topic “is not on the agenda”.

He also accused Moscow of waging a “coordinated propaganda campaign” once morest him and his government.

On Friday, the Kremlin said it had not received official confirmation that Armenia was leaving the CSTO.

“We are going to contact our Armenian counterparts and clarify its statements regarding the CSTO,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told Russian news agencies.

Armenia missed two CSTO exercises last year and a summit in Minsk in November. The Kremlin then expressed regret, while Russian President Vladimir Putin insisted that withdrawing from the organization “would not be in Armenia’s interests”.

Tensions between the two countries have been simmering since September, when Russian peacekeepers did not intervene following Azerbaijan launched a surprise military offensive once morest ethnic Armenians in Nagorno-Karabakh.

The CSTO, made up of several former Soviet republics, has pledged to defend other members under attack, but Moscow said Yerevan itself recognized Nagorno-Karabakh as part of Azerbaijan and refused to help Armenia.

Armenian Prime Minister N. Pashinyan said in a televised address to the nation that Yerevan’s current foreign security alliances are ineffective and insufficient and called for new partners.

For new security guarantees, Yerevan relies more on Western partners, mainly France and the United States, than Russia.

In early February, Armenia officially joined the International Criminal Court (ICC), despite Moscow warning the Caucasus country not to do so.

According to the ICC arrest warrant issued in March 2023 for the Russian leader, it would be obliged to arrest V. Putin if he entered the territory of Armenia.