Pashinyan: Armenia freezes its participation in CSTO

Armenia has frozen its participation in the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said, Report informs, citing Sputnik Armenia.

Pashinyan emphasized the importance of distinguishing between legal matters and legal processes, highlighting that Armenia’s primary concern revolves around clarifying the CSTO’s scope of responsibility within the country.

He noted that the issues began when this topic was broached by Yerevan.

The prime minister did not reveal exactly when Armenia would leave the CSTO. However, he did not rule out that it could be before the new year.

Furthermore, on March 6, Armen Grigoryan, the Secretary of the Security Council of Armenia, told reporters that Armenia had formally requested Moscow to facilitate the withdrawal of Russian military forces stationed at Zvartnots airport. Grigoryan also expressed criticism towards the CSTO for its failure to acknowledge the territorial integrity of Armenia.

In a related commentary, the US Institute for the Study of War previously suggested that Armenia’s distancing from Russia could have significant repercussions for Prime Minister Pashinyan.