Armenia Will Pay Its CSTO Membership Fee for 2025 Despite Suspension Decision: Viktor Vasilev

The issue of adjusting the CSTO budget related to Armenia's suspension of payment has been coordinated within the organization, said Viktor Vasilev, the permanent representative of Russia to the CSTO, to RIA Novosti.

“If we take the current budget for 2024, then this issue has been coordinated,” he stated in response to a question about whether the organization's budget is being discussed in light of Yerevan's decision.

“Recommendations regarding the adjustment of the organization's budget for this year have already been adopted during the meetings of the CSTO Permanent Council in Almaty and within the three statutory bodies,” Vasilev added. He noted that the recommendations have been signed by the heads of states in working order.

Vasilev also pointed out that “the situation is indeed non-standard given the Armenian side's statements about not paying its contribution this year.”

When asked whether it is known if Armenia intends not to make payments in the 2025 budget, Vasilev mentioned that “that is already a political decision.”

“The draft budget for 2025 will be considered, and all items will be calculated. Ten percent of that amount will be accounted for Armenia,” Vasilev stated. He added that whether Armenia will pay that membership fee or not is “already a matter of political will of the country's leadership.”

Discussing the budget issue, he noted that what “pertains to 2025 is a topic for further discussions.” He also revealed that “the organization's budget is distributed among all member states in a specified proportion.”

“That is, the Russian Federation pays 50 percent of the membership fees. The remaining 50 percent is divided among the other five member states. Each country (except Russia) will pay 10 percent of the budget, including the Republic of Armenia,” Vasilev added.

Earlier, media reported that the press secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Armenia, Ani Badalyan, announced that Yerevan would refrain from joining the Collective Security Council's decision on the CSTO budget for 2024, set for November 23, 2023, and participating in funding the organization's activities as stipulated in that decision. The Russian Foreign Ministry, commenting on this, previously stated to RIA Novosti that “this is not the first statement from Yerevan regarding its participation” being suspended and “halting financial contributions to the CSTO.” They noted that “there have been previous debts regarding budget payments from the organization, including from Armenia.” The ministry reported that Armenia's share of the payment for 2024 has been set at 53.22 million rubles (approximately $573,033 USD).