Russia to Engage with Armenia Amidst CSTO Participation Freeze Controversy
On Friday, the Kremlin announced Russia’s intention to contact Armenia following Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s statement that Yerevan had suspended its involvement in the Russian-led Collective Security Treaty Organisation (CSTO) due to the perceived failure of the pact for Armenia.
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Russia
Pashinyan’s remarks were broadcast in an interview on Thursday, where he expressed dissatisfaction with Armenia’s longstanding ties with Russia. He stated that Armenia could no longer rely on Russia to meet its defense needs and suggested that the country’s membership in the CSTO was being reconsidered.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov, speaking on the defense ministry-owned Zvezda television channel, mentioned on Friday that Moscow required more details from Armenia. He stated, “The Armenian side has not taken any official action in this regard,” referring to the reported suspension of CSTO participation. Peskov mentioned the Kremlin’s intention to reach out to Armenian colleagues to seek clarification on the meaning of these statements.
Other CSTO members, stemming from the former Soviet Union, include Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan. The CSTO secretariat, as reported by the Interfax news agency on Friday, stated that they had not received any statements from Yerevan regarding the suspension of its membership. They noted that the idea of freezing participation likely pertained to Armenia’s non-participation in recent organization events.
