Armenia has no plans to intensify its work within the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) or return to the organization over the next five years. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan announced this on August 24 at the National Assembly, while responding to questions from deputies regarding the Government's 2026-2031 program.
According to Pashinyan, all of Armenia's questions addressed to the CSTO have remained unanswered, and interest in the organization has been exhausted. He also noted that if the CSTO decides to remove Armenia from the organization, it would relieve Yerevan of the dilemma of whether or not to withdraw.
In terms of regional security, the Prime Minister emphasized the importance of establishing peace and stability with Azerbaijan and Turkey, stressing that Armenia must be able to survive through its own strength, independent of external directions. He stated that this requires a capable army and peace, adding that the security concept should be based on legitimacy, interconnectedness, and long-term predictability.
Relations between Armenia and the CSTO soured in September 2022, following the invasion of Azerbaijan's armed forces into Armenia's sovereign territory, when the organization failed to provide military and political support to Armenia. Since February 2024, Armenia has announced the freezing of its participation in the CSTO, which, according to the Prime Minister, is due to the organization's failure to fulfill its security obligations toward Armenia.
This position regarding the CSTO indicates that the freezing of relations with the organization is not a short-term step for Armenia; there are no plans for a return or the intensification of work for the next five years. At the same time, in the Prime Minister's remarks, the issue of security is linked not to a single external direction, but to the nation's own defense capabilities and the assurance of peace in the region.
Also notable here is the formulation regarding Armenia's potential removal from the CSTO. Pashinyan presents it as an option that could eliminate the need to make a formal decision to withdraw from the organization. Furthermore, Armenia's announcement of frozen participation since 2024 demonstrates that these relations have effectively been in a restricted state for quite some time.
