CSTO Secretariat Comments on Pashinyan's Statement Regarding the Cancellation of Exercises in Armenia

The Secretariat of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) and the Joint Staff believe that Armenia's obligations regarding coalition peacekeeping exercises will be fulfilled. This was stated today by CSTO press secretary Vladimir Zainetdinov.

"We approach the situation created in the Republic of Armenia today with understanding, which may prevent the full implementation of CSTO-planned peacekeeping exercises this year," said Zainetdinov.

He also noted that the CSTO Secretariat has not received an official notification from Armenia about the cancellation of the "Indestructible Brotherhood-2023" exercises on Armenian territory. According to him, the necessity of holding exercises in Armenia this year had already been confirmed in Yerevan.

"Currently, the CSTO Secretariat has not received an official notification from the Armenian side about the cancellation of these exercises, in accordance with the established procedure in the organization," he stated.

It is noteworthy that on January 1, the Russian Ministry of Defense announced that the CSTO "Indestructible Brotherhood-2023" peacekeeping exercises would be held in Armenia this year. During a press conference yesterday, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan stated that Armenia does not consider it appropriate to hold CSTO exercises in Armenia at least this year, adding that there has been a misunderstanding, as the Armenian Ministry of Defense had already informed the CSTO Joint Staff about this.

The Joint Staff confirmed in a statement that it received a letter from the Armenian Ministry of Defense stating that conducting exercises with CSTO peacekeeping forces on Armenian territory in 2023 is not advisable.