Armenia remains full member of CSTO, Kremlin official says

Armenia remains a full member of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) and has not left the organisation, despite ongoing speculation, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said during a briefing on December 11.

Zakharova dismissed reports suggesting that Armenia had either left or was on the verge of leaving the CSTO. She emphasised that there were no obstacles preventing the resumption of normal cooperation within the organisation, reiterating that Armenia continues to hold all the rights and obligations of a full member state, Caliber.Az reports via Armenian media. 

Zakharova characterised claims that Armenia had "frozen" its participation or was in the process of withdrawing as "verbal acrobatics" with no basis in the CSTO's regulatory framework.

The spokeswoman also clarified that the CSTO Charter allows for the withdrawal of a member state, but only through a formal procedure. She noted that if a member country fails to meet its obligations—such as settling budgetary debts for two consecutive years—its voting rights in CSTO bodies may be suspended, along with the right to nominate citizens for CSTO positions.

This approach, Zakharova added, mirrors similar practices in other international organisations like the United Nations.

The statements come amid growing tensions surrounding Armenia's relationship with the CSTO. Armenia has recently been less involved in CSTO activities, including its absence from a key meeting of the organisation's Council held in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan.

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan had earlier confirmed that the country had "frozen" its participation in the CSTO, but no formal decision to withdraw from the organisation has been made.

By Sabina Mammadli