Why Armenia Is Not Participating in CSTO Events: The Response of the Russian Foreign Ministry

The absence of Armenia from CSTO events is a decision made by the Armenian leadership, although it has been done under pressure. This was stated by Viktor Vasiliev, the Russian Foreign Ministry's special envoy for CSTO affairs, in an interview with RIA Novosti.

“In many respects, this situation is a result of both pressure from Western countries and the understandable feelings of Armenia's leadership and its citizens,” he noted. Vasiliev expressed hope that the voice of reason will eventually prevail over emotions.

Earlier, he also mentioned that Armenia's security, including in the military-technical sphere, seems impossible without cooperation within the CSTO.