Russian MPs comment on suspension of Armenia's participation in the CSTO

By freezing Armenia's participation in the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan betrayed not only his country, but also Russia, Russian State Duma deputy Viktor Sobolev told NEWS.ru.

Report quotes the parliamentarian as saying in this way Pashinyan is trying to shift all responsibility for the events to Russia.

"He is the one who betrayed everything and everyone, including his country, his people. I think he will be removed soon. Now he shifts all the blame on Russia. Russia then came to Armenia's aid. He betrayed not only Armenia, but also Russia," Sobolev added.

Russian senator Airat Gibatdinov, in turn, explained to NEWS.ru that Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan is "playing his own game" by announcing the suspension of Yerevan’s participation in the CSTO.

"Until a certain point, the leadership of Armenia did not raise questions about the quality of fulfillment of obligations within the CSTO. When the situation in Karabakh escalated, Russian peacekeepers organized the evacuation of those wishing [to leave the region]. Despite the fact that two years ago a dialogue took place, which confirmed that the obligations on the CSTO does not apply to Karabakh, now Pashinyan is trying to play the game and shift his blame on Russia," Gibatdinov said.

NEWS.ru also quotes from the Telegram channel of political scientist Sergey Markov, who notes that the Armenian leadership acted treacherously towards Russia by freezing its participation in the CSTO.

According to him, now Azerbaijan is becoming Moscow's main ally in the South Caucasus.

Markov believes that Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and French President Emmanuel Macron, after negotiations between them, hatched a conspiracy to expel Russia from the region and create French military bases there.