Armenia faces CSTO payment deadline by 2025 Russian deputy FM says

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Aleksandr Pankin has said that Armenia may have outstanding contributions to the Collective Security Treaty Organisation (CSTO) for up to two years, with this period ending at the close of 2025.

He noted that Armenia currently has a debt for 2024, and after two years of non-payment, appropriate decisions will be made, Caliber.Az reports via Russian media. 

Pankin emphasised that Armenia's debt is nothing extraordinary, as there have been instances in the past when other countries also delayed their payments.

Earlier, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov described Armenia's intention to withdraw from the CSTO as a sovereign decision. He added that Russia does not impose membership in the organisation on Armenia.

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan stated that the relationship between the CSTO and Yerevan has reached a point of no return, and Armenia considers itself to be outside the bloc. Armenia's return to participation in the organisation's activities is now impossible.

By Naila Huseynova