Armenian defence minister: No joint military exercises with Russia for now

Armenia has no current plans to conduct joint military exercises with Russia, Defence Minister Suren Papikyan announced during a press conference on January 15.

According to Armenian media, Papikyan clarified that while no drills are scheduled at present, the year has just begun, and he cannot rule out the possibility of such exercises later, Caliber.Az reports via foreign media.

"Discussions are ongoing with various international partners regarding potential joint exercises. I hope these efforts will lead to successful collaborations," Papikyan stated.

He also revealed that the Armenian Defence Ministry has planned several routine training sessions for this year. Details regarding the scale and format of these activities will be disclosed in due course.

Addressing Armenia’s relationship with the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), Papikyan noted that Yerevan’s position remains legitimate and prioritizes national interests, especially as other member states have not altered their stance.

Armenia has frozen its participation in the CSTO, with Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan repeatedly voicing discontent with the bloc. In September 2024, Pashinyan went as far as labelling the CSTO a "threat to Armenia’s security," a remark that drew a sharp response from Moscow.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov disagreed with Pashinyan's assessment, emphasizing that "the CSTO was established to protect the sovereignty of its member states and poses no threat to them."    

To recap, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan recently announced that Armenia considers itself effectively outside the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), citing dissatisfaction with the alliance’s response during critical moments. Speaking in Yerevan on December 4, Pashinyan highlighted his country’s decision to suspend participation and refrain from vetoing documents at the CSTO's latest meeting.

Criticizing member states for failing to assist Armenia during the Second Karabakh War, Pashinyan remarked, “We have fulfilled all our allied obligations accurately, both morally, politically, and legally, but the allied obligations towards us have not been fulfilled.” He further expressed frustration, stating, “In a difficult moment, they [the CSTO] left us alone, they abandoned us, and yes, there are opinions that we were betrayed.”

The CSTO, established in 1992, comprises six former Soviet republics — Russia, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan. Originally conceived as a counterbalance to NATO, the alliance aimed to ensure collective security. However, for many Armenians, it now symbolizes unfulfilled promises and waning trust in collective defence agreements.

By Aghakazim Guliyev