CSTO (Collective Security Treaty Organization): Will Armenia leave it?

April 18, 2025

Written by Nargiz Nurkenova

The Collective Security Treaty Organization - is an intergovernmental military alliance in Eurasia consisting of six post-Soviet states: Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, and Tajikistan   Similar to Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty and the Inter-American Treaty of Reciprocal Assistance, Article 4 of the Collective Security Treaty (CST) establishes that an aggression against one signatory would be perceived as an aggression against all. Beyond its core defense commitments, the CSTO regularly conducts joint military exercises, coordinates counterterrorism operations, and has developed mechanisms for crisis response and peacekeeping. 

However, last year, Armenia’s faith in the CSTO has significantly eroded. Yerevan has accused the bloc of failing to fulfill its obligations during the country’s recent clashes with Azerbaijan, particularly in the context of the ongoing conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh. Issue at hand: a nation inducted into an organization intended to provide collective security, but in reality, the opposite occurs. For years, Armenia has looked to the CSTO, expecting solidarity, protection, and a genuine partnership, only to find itself trapped in a cycle of dependency, with unfulfilled promises and assurances.

Realist scholars argue that if the CSTO no longer serves Armenia’s interests, there is little reason for Armenia to remain a part of it. The prime minister of Armenia, Nikol Pashinyan, said himself that Armenia will leave CSTO and will not come back, as there is no other way. Under “threats to Armenia’s” security, Pashinyan referred to cases in May and November 2021, September 2022, as he explains in his interview with British Journalists, specifically to The Telegraph and The Critic journal in April 2024. He attempted to appeal to the CSTO about the threats, but no actions were taken to regulate them. 

Also, Yerevan did not send its military to Kyrgyzstan for the exercise organized by the CSTO in October 2023. Armenia missed the military exercises "Rock-2023" organized by the CSTO in Belarus to eliminate the accident at the nuclear facility. Additionally, Armenia decided not to take part in the CSTO summit in Minsk, which was held on November 23, 2023. Armenia did not attend the CSTO meeting organized in Almaty in May 2024. The topic of this meeting was to discuss the military threat and security in the collective security regions, as well as the development of the military component of the organization. This clearly shows the country's disinterest in the activities of the CSTO, which also underlines its decision to withdraw from the partnership.

Armenia has officially stated that it is looking for new security partnerships. The statement comes after repeated disappointment with the lack of support from the CSTO when Armenia faced conflict with its neighbor, Azerbaijan. This decision also indicates that Armenia doubts the reliability of the partner. France has shown strong support for Armenia amid rising tensions with Azerbaijan. President Emmanuel Macron has openly endorsed Armenia’s sovereignty, supplying it with GM-200 radar systems, Mistral missiles, and Bastion armored carriers. France’s commitment, along with its strained relations with Azerbaijan, particularly over the Lachin Corridor, positions France as a reliable security partner if Armenia faces threats. Greece aligns with Armenia in countering Turkey’s regional ambitions. Greece has extended humanitarian aid, defense assistance, and diplomatic support to Armenia, demonstrating a shared stance against Turkish expansionism and positioning Greece as a dependable ally.

In May 2024, Ani Badalian, the foreign minister of Armenia, declared that Armenia would stop financing CSTO. Badalian (2024) said that Armenia will refrain from participating in financing the organization’s activities. At the same time, Badalian highlighted that Armenia would not encourage other members to stop financing CSTO.

In general, Armenia has the potential to leave the CSTO. Numerous refusals to work together, failure to attend common events, criticism of the work of the organization, a statement about finding new partners, freezing of funding, and an open statement about leaving - all this indicates that Armenia no longer sees the CSTO as its loyal partner and guarantor of its security. Trust in the union as an effective security mechanism has been undermined, and in this regard, Armenia demonstrates a serious intention to leave the CSTO.