Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan declared that Armenia has passed “the point of no return” in its relationship with the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), responding to Russian President Vladimir Putin’s earlier statement that CSTO had no obligation to fight in Nagorno-Karabakh and that Armenia hadn’t been attacked.
During a parliamentary Q&A session, Pashinyan countered Putin’s assertion, stating that Armenia faced clear aggression in both 2021 and 2022. “We discussed these developments with our allies beforehand, who assured us that Armenia’s borders were a ‘red line’ for them,” Pashinyan said. “When the violation occurred, and we pointed out that their red line had been crossed, they responded by saying the border wasn’t delimited.”
Pashinyan emphasized that Armenia has effectively withdrawn from CSTO operations, though it maintains a technical presence by not vetoing documents. “We’re no longer participating in document development or providing proposals,” he clarified.
The rift between Armenia and CSTO began during the 2020 44-day war in Nagorno-Karabakh when the organization failed to assist Armenia. Relations deteriorated further following Azerbaijan’s September 2022 attacks on sovereign Armenian territory, when CSTO again declined to provide military support despite its collective defense provisions. In early 2024, Armenia officially suspended its participation in the organization.
CSTO, a Russian-led military bloc, was established in 1992, following the dissolution of the Soviet Union, to provide collective security and defense for its member states. Currently, the CSTO includes six member countries: Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Armenia.
In this context, why Armenia still linging to CSTO and why Armenia is not officially and once for all withdraws from CSTO? We should be responsible of our destiny, nothing good will come from Russia at least under actual regime.