Kremlin reacts to Pashinyan’s CSTO, EU comments

The Kremlin has responded to Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s latest comments about Armenia’s participation in the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), as Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said that Yerevan is free to leave the organization if it no longer sees the need to remain a member.

Pashinyan said earlier that Armenia would not resume its activities in the CSTO and that Yerevan’s interest in the organization had been exhausted. He also said he would be happy if the CSTO decided to expel Armenia from the organization.

“If Yerevan no longer needs to be a member of such an important regional security organization based on its national interests, then it is free to make the relevant decision and withdraw,” TASS news agency quoted Peskov as saying.

He added that Moscow has so far heard statements from Armenian representatives at various levels that Armenia’s participation has been frozen, but that Armenia currently has no plans to withdraw.

The Kremlin spokesman also addressed Pashinyan’s statement that the Armenian government will soon begin the process of submitting an official application for EU membership.

“There is a very important aspect here that our representatives, and especially the head of our state, have also discussed. After submitting an application for EU membership, Armenia will have to begin the process of bringing its legislation in a wide range of areas — trade, phytosanitary regulations, customs and so on — into line with European Union standards. These standards contradict those adopted in our country and those adopted in the Eurasian Economic Union. And this is precisely where we will encounter deep contradictions, which will primarily harm Armenia itself,” the Kremlin representative said.

He advised Armenia, when applying for EU membership, to remember the experience of various countries, particularly Türkiye.