CSTO reaffirms Armenia as ally despite Foreign Intelligence Service’s statement

Despite a statement from Armenia's Foreign Intelligence Service, the Collective Security Treaty Organisation (CSTO) continues considering Armenia as its ally.

Armenia’s Foreign Intelligence Service in its report deemed it unlikely that the reasons for freezing Armenia’s participation in CSTO activities, which occurred in 2024, would be resolved by 2025, Caliber.Az reports via Russian media. 

"The CSTO’s secretariat is aware of the statement from Armenia’s Foreign Intelligence Service. However, we still consider Armenia an ally and continue engaging with Yerevan in a working capacity," the source said.

Earlier, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan stated that Yerevan had frozen its participation in CSTO activities, claiming that the organisation posed a threat to the country’s sovereignty.

While speaking at an international security forum in Warsaw, Armenia’s Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan said that Yerevan is evaluating all risks regarding the decision to withdraw from CSTO. 

However, he emphasised that no concrete decisions have been made by Armenia on this issue. On December 4, 2024, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov stated that Armenia has not submitted any formal documents indicating an intention to withdraw from the CSTO. 

His remarks came during a press conference, responding to Pashinyan’s recent assertions that Armenia’s ties with the CSTO had reached an irreversible point. Lavrov acknowledged Pashinyan’s repeated comments on a possible withdrawal but stressed that Moscow would not impose its perspective on Yerevan. 

He reaffirmed Russia’s belief that Armenia’s CSTO membership aligns with its security interests. Tensions have grown since the CSTO’s lack of support during the 2020 Karabakh war and subsequent clashes with Azerbaijan in 2022. 

Pashinyan has criticized the organisation’s inaction, while Russian President Vladimir Putin clarified in 2024 that the CSTO was not obligated to intervene as there was no external aggression against Armenia.

By Naila Huseynova