Armenia pauses CSTO participation amid regional tensions
Armenia has suspended its involvement in the Collective Security Treaty Organization, a move announced by Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan in a televised interview with France24. The decision signals a strategic pause in shared defense commitments as Yerevan reassesses regional security arrangements. This stance reflects concerns that Armenia believes the collective security agreement has not been implemented in practice, a point Pashinyan emphasized during the discussion.
From the Armenian perspective, the pause is a response to perceived gaps in how the CSTO treaty has been applied. Pashinyan noted that the agreement did not translate into concrete security guarantees in recent years and stated that Armenia has temporarily frozen its participation to observe what happens next. This development occurs as part of ongoing debates about regional security and alliance obligations.
The CSTO, established in 2002, is composed of six member states: Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, and Tajikistan. The bloc has often been described as a regional security framework for the post-Soviet space, with member countries sharing political and military links that influence security calculations in the South Caucasus and Central Asia.
In September 2023, authorities in Azerbaijan reported a local operation in the Karabakh region with the stated aim of suppressing large-scale provocations, disarming Armenian forces, and ensuring the withdrawal of Armenian units from the region. The following day, a ceasefire agreement was reached with mediation from Russian peacekeepers, and talks on a broader peace settlement between Armenia and Azerbaijan have continued since then.
Since the ceasefire, Armenia and Azerbaijan have pursued negotiations on a peace framework, with periodic statements that emphasize the fragile nature of the ceasefire and the need for verifiable security arrangements. The evolving situation in the region has drawn attention from international observers and policymakers concerned about stability along the Armenia-Azerbaijan border and implications for regional security alliances.
In February, Armenian Prime Minister Pashinyan commented on Azerbaijani intentions, describing concerns about potential military escalation. Shortly afterward, Pashinyan returned to Yerevan, signaling a preference for diplomatic routes and a recalibrated approach to regional alignments. The trajectory of these developments continues to shape debates about security guarantees, alliance commitments, and the potential reshaping of regional security architectures.
Recent statements from Armenian leadership also reflect ongoing caution regarding ceasefire terms and enforcement mechanisms, underscoring the complexity of maintaining stability in a volatile area. The situation remains a focal point for regional actors and international mediators as both sides navigate trust-building measures and long-term peace prospects.