Armenia signals desire to leave Russian-led CSTO alliance

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has stated that his government has no plans to increase participation in the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) over the next five years. Speaking to Parliament, Pashinyan expressed that he would “welcome” an expulsion from the Russian-led security alliance, noting that such a move would resolve the dilemma of whether Armenia should proactively withdraw.

Armenia has frozen its participation in the CSTO since 2024, citing a lack of effective security guarantees from the alliance amid tensions with Azerbaijan. Pashinyan previously described the relationship between Armenia and the CSTO as having “passed the point of no return.”

The Kremlin responded to these statements by stating that if Yerevan no longer deems CSTO membership necessary for its national interests or regional security, it is free to make that decision and leave the organization. CSTO Secretary General Taalatbek Masadykov noted that the decision to expel a member rests with the Collective Security Council, composed of member heads of state, and may be discussed at the upcoming summit in Moscow this November.