Kremlin: Armenia may leave CSTO if Yerevan no longer needs membership

ArmInfo. Armenia may leave the Collective Security Treaty Organization if Yerevan no longer needs membership. Russian Presidential Press Secretary Dmitry Peskov  told reporters.

"If Yerevan no longer needs membership in such an important regional  security organization due to its national interests, then it is free  to make the appropriate decision and leave this organization," Peskov  said, commenting on Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan's  statement that Yerevan would be happy to be expelled from the CSTO.

"Until now, we've heard statements from Armenian representatives at  various levels that yes, membership is frozen, but Armenia has no  plans to leave. At least, that's the statement we've heard so far,"  the Kremlin spokesman concluded, according to TASS.

It's worth noting that Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, while  presenting the government's five- year program from the parliamentary  rostrum on August 24, stated that he would be very pleased if Armenia  were expelled from the Collective Security Treaty Organization. He  noted that the organization's Charter provides for this. The  politician added that Yerevan has no plans to return to the CSTO or  intensify its work within the structure in the next five years. He  stated that Armenia's interest in the CSTO has dried up.

As a reminder, Armenia has been boycotting CSTO events since the end  of 2022. In February 2024, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan  stated that Armenia had effectively frozen its participation in the  CSTO, as the organization had failed to fulfill its obligations to  Armenia, which could not go without consequences. And on September  18, 2024, at the Second World Armenian Summit, Pashinyan stated that  the CSTO poses threats to Armenia's security, its continued  existence, sovereignty, and statehood.

In early summer of this year, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov  did not rule out stripping Armenia of its voting rights in the  organization due to non-payment of membership fees for over two  years.