Armenia has suspended its participation in the Collective Security Treaty Organisation (CSTO), the Russian-led military coalition founded to confront NATO, Armenian President Nikol Pashinyan confirmed during an interview on French television yesterday.
“Today, in practice, we have frozen our participation in this treaty, in this organisation. As for what happens next, that remains to be seen,” Pashinyan told France24, accusing the CSTO – made up of six former Soviet bloc countries – of failing to meet its objectives “at least as far as Armenia is concerned, and in particular in 2021 and 2022,” the Armenian president said, referring to the Second Karabakh War, which culminated in Armenia’s crushing defeat by Azerbaijan.
Following the Armenian defeat in the disputed Caucasus enclave during the 2020 war, Azerbaijan increased its control over Karabakh until, in late 2023 and after a brief Azeri military operation, the pro-Armenian Karabakh government announced its dissolution. In this regard, Pashinyan noted that prospects for a lasting peace agreement with neighbouring Azerbaijan are being hampered by Azeri President Ilham Aliyev‘s statements, which Yerevan interprets as territorial claims over Armenian territory.
Pashinyan has in recent months expressed dissatisfaction with the state of relations with Russia, which he claims is no longer a reliable defence partner. Commenting on the announcement to leave the CSTO, and asked about the possible closure of a Russian military base in Armenia, Pashinyan said, however, that the base is subject to a separate agreement and there are no plans to dismantle it for now.
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Pablo Gómez is a specialist in Turkey and has been editor-in-chief of Hispanatolia since 2011. He has been analysing current affairs and geopolitics in Turkey and the surrounding region since 2006.
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