Armenia firmly declines return to CSTO, PM Pashinyan rejects Russian reconciliation efforts
Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has dashed the Kremlin's hopes for Armenia's return to the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO). Pashinyan has emphasized that Armenia no longer regards itself as a participant in the CSTO and has no intention of returning to the bloc.
Russian leader Vladimir Putin recently suggested that Yerevan still "supports all documents" adopted within the CSTO, implying a possible full return to active membership. He also argued that the organization was not obligated to defend Armenia during the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, as there was no external aggression.
Responding to Putin's remarks, Pashinyan highlighted that Armenia is not obstructing any CSTO decisions simply because the country no longer considers itself an organization member, as reported by Iravaban.
"They can do as they wish," remarked the Armenian Prime Minister. He reiterated that the point of no return has been reached in Armenia-CSTO relations. Back in February of this year, Pashinyan announced the suspension of Armenia's participation in the CSTO and even hinted at a complete withdrawal if the organization does not acknowledge the issues related to Nagorno-Karabakh. Armenian authorities stated that rather than fulfilling its obligations to Yerevan, the CSTO was creating problems, prompting Armenia to seek new means for securing state protection.
Previously, Armenia's Security Council openly accused Russia of seizing control of Nagorno-Karabakh and subsequently handing over the territory to Azerbaijan. They noted a steep decline in military-technical cooperation between Yerevan and Moscow, dropping from 96% to just 10%.