CSTO not cooperating with Armenia in military sphere, Russian Foreign Ministry says

The Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) is not cooperating with Armenia in the military, military-technical or other spheres, RIA Novosti reported, citing a statement by Mikael Agasandyan, Director of the First Department of CIS Countries at the Russian Foreign Ministry.

“At present, there is no cooperation with Armenia through the CSTO in the military, military-technical or other spheres,” Agasandyan said, responding to a question about whether Yerevan was benefiting from preferential terms for military-technical supplies within the CSTO.

The department director said that relevant cooperation with Yerevan was continuing on a bilateral basis.

“There is the necessary legal framework and basis, which includes the supply of military products on preferential terms,” he said.

Earlier, during discussions in the Armenian National Assembly on the government’s 2026–2031 programme, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said Armenia would not reactivate its work within the CSTO, that Yerevan’s interest in the organisation had been exhausted, and that he would be pleased if Armenia were removed from the organisation.

In response, Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Armenia could leave the Collective Security Treaty Organization if Yerevan no longer needed membership.

Armenia has frozen its participation in the CSTO’s activities since February 2024. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said this in an interview with France 24, stressing that the CSTO had failed to fulfil its security obligations towards Armenia.