Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov stated on Wednesday that the continued membership of Armenia in the military alliance of former Soviet states and the Eurasian Union must be decided quickly.
At a meeting with his counterparts from the member states of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), Lavrov stated that Yerevan has arrears in the payment of its contributions., reports Agerpres Also, the representatives of Armenia were reprimanded for their absence at the organization’s meetings.
The head of Russian diplomacy also appreciated, in a press conference, that Armenia’s intention to join the European Union is incompatible with its membership in the economic union which includes Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan.
Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, in power since 2018 and reaffirmed as leader through the decisive result of last Sunday’s elections, froze Armenia’s participation in the CSTO in 2024. The official stated that he does not trust the security guarantees promised by the alliance, after Azerbaijan militarily reclaimed the enclave of Nagorno-Karabakh, predominantly populated by Armenians.
The official withdrawal of Armenia from the CSTO would undermine Russia’s efforts to keep the country within its orbit.
The relations between Yerevan and Moscow are becoming increasingly tense, while Pashinyan is trying to bring Armenia closer to the European Union.