Russia says door open for Armenia's return to CSTO
Russia says CSTO’s door open for Armenia
“We expect that, in the interest of the future security of a friendly country and the entire region, our partnership with Armenia within the CSTO will be fully restored. We confirm that, at this stage, the door remains open for Yerevan to return to full-scale cooperation within the CSTO,” Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova stated.
The CSTO is a military bloc operating under Russia’s aegis, comprising Belarus, Armenia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan. Armenian authorities have long refused to participate in the organization’s activities and have frozen their involvement. They cite the bloc’s failure to respond when Armenia sought assistance against an incursion by Azerbaijani forces into its territory, and even a lack of political condemnation. The CSTO justified its inaction by stating that the border was not demarcated. Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan responded:
“If there is no border between Armenia and Azerbaijan, then there is no CSTO. The CSTO’s zone of responsibility is defined by borders. If there is no border, there is no zone of responsibility, and if there is no zone of responsibility, there is no organization.”
Previously, a similar statement was made by Yuri Ushakov, an aide to the Russian president. He said that Russia does not question “the right of Armenian partners to determine their own course” but reminded that “Yerevan de jure remains a member of the CSTO with all the rights and obligations that entails.”
These comments came after reports that Nikol Pashinyan would not attend the CSTO summit in Astana on November 28. The Prime Minister’s spokesperson confirmed that “Armenia’s position on freezing its participation in CSTO activities has not changed.”
According to political analyst Ara Poghosyan, the latest statements from Moscow point to a crisis within the CSTO:
“Russia now faces the task of restoring the organization’s reputation and preventing Armenia from leaving the CSTO’s orbit and Russia’s sphere of influence.”
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Moscow claims US aims to ‘fully subjugate Armenia’
Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) issued a statement:
“The United States continues to pursue plans for so-called democratization, aiming to fully subjugate Armenia. However, similar practices in other countries and regions have proven destructive. There are numerous examples in the Middle East, Latin America, and Africa, with the most striking being Ukraine’s current state.”
The same statement claimed that “the Americans are considering how to prevent Yerevan from deviating from the so-called democratic path.” According to the SVR, the United States doubts the irreversibility of Armenia’s course toward closer ties with the West.
The statement also alleged that Washington is promoting pro-Western forces within Armenia:
“A political ‘boost’ for pro-Western parties has already begun, intending to ensure their entry into parliament during the 2026 elections. These ‘staunch defenders of democracy’ are tasked with ‘keeping the Armenian executive in check’ should it, like the government of neighboring Georgia, prioritize the nation’s objective interests, traditions, and values.”
Political analyst Ara Poghosyan
Political analyst Ara Poghosyan interprets Russia’s statements as an attempt to keep Armenia within its sphere of influence. In his view, the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service’s claim about the West’s “destructive activities” reveals its anxieties and destructiveness.
He concludes that Russia no longer has institutions whose statements or explanations can be taken seriously:
“The atmosphere of the Russian-American Cold War suggests that this statement is rooted in propaganda intended to serve as a tool of Russian soft power to influence the psychology of Armenian society.”
According to the analyst, Russia is being pushed out of the South Caucasus and its key processes, particularly the regulation of Armenian-Azerbaijani relations.
He argues that Moscow is attempting to maintain its position in the region through such propagandist tactics:
“Meanwhile, Russia should have strengthened its position earlier by responding promptly and taking action during Azerbaijan’s invasion of the sovereign territory of Armenia, a CSTO member. Russia’s inaction created a vacuum in the region, which has since been filled by India and France, who stepped in to assist Armenia.”
At the same time, Poghosyan considers the statements from Moscow logical in the sense that Armenia remains a legal member of Russian-led integration structures. If Armenia were to leave the CSTO, it would have both political and moral consequences:
“First and foremost, it would be a blow to the organization operating under Russia’s aegis. Russia is the leader and guarantor of security for CSTO members. Now, as a result of its policies, Russia finds itself unable to fulfill its role in ensuring the security of one of its members. Moscow is now trying to restore the reputation of its military bloc, the CSTO,” he explained, adding that the Russian side is making efforts to rebuild the alliance’s credibility.
Russia says CSTO’s door open for Armenia
