"Armenia will leave the Russia-led CSTO; there is no other way," - Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan
Armenia will withdraw from the CSTO
“We will leave when we decide to leave,” Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan declared on June 12 in response to a question about the country’s potential exit from the Russia-led military alliance CSTO.
The bloc includes Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Russia.
Pashinyan reiterated that the decision stems from CSTO allies’ failure to fulfill their obligations to Armenia:
“The fault lies with those who created a bubble of false alliance, whose members, instead of honoring their commitments, were planning a war against Armenia in collaboration with Azerbaijan.”
Previously, the Prime Minister mentioned knowing of “at least two CSTO member countries that were involved in preparing for the war” against Armenia, referring to the 44-day war in Nagorno-Karabakh in 2020.
This is not the first time Pashinyan has hinted at Armenia’s possible withdrawal from the CSTO, and his recent statement did not cause much stir within Armenia.
However, it garnered significant attention abroad after being shared by various Telegram channels, with many interpreting it as a definitive announcement of Armenia’s departure from the organization. Pashinyan made these remarks during a parliamentary session in the traditional Q&A segment with government officials, prompting Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan to clarify the Prime Minister’s comments.
“The Prime Minister of Armenia did not state that we are leaving the CSTO. He said we would decide when to leave but wouldn’t return. That is all he said—no more, no less,” emphasized Mirzoyan.
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Amid the protests in Armenia since April and demands for the government’s resignation, the opposition posed sharp questions to the government.
Tadevos Avetisyan, a deputy from the opposition faction “Hayastan,” asked the Prime Minister if he had ever wondered how Armenia would be if he were not in power. Pashinyan responded that everything would be the same except for one thing:
“Armenia would be 100% a province [of Russia].”
He repeatedly emphasized why his government is taking a different path, citing the failure of the CSTO, a military bloc created and operated under Russia’s aegis, to fulfill its obligations to Armenia, a strategic ally.
When opposition deputies asked why Armenia doesn’t leave the CSTO, Pashinyan replied:
“We will leave. Are you trying to scare us with that? We will decide when to leave. And we are talking about it. Has there not been enough information about this? Do you think the next step will be to return? No, there is no other way.”
In response to whether Armenia is shifting towards the West, the Prime Minister said:
“We are moving towards a real Armenia, the Republic of Armenia, a sovereign, secure, peaceful state with delineated borders. And we are almost there. As for the CSTO, don’t worry, we won’t be going back.
We’re just not saying it will be soon, so as not to ruin your mood [addressing the parliamentary opposition, which the ruling party believes serves Russia’s interests].”
