Moscow claims Russia, CSTO cannot be replaced as guarantors of Armenia’s security

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YEREVAN, August 22. /ARKA/. Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova asserted that there are no alternatives to the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) and Russia as guarantors of Armenia's stability./pp

The doors are open for Armenia to return to full cooperation within the CSTO. Ultimately, this has been proven not just over years but centuries. It has been recognized by the Armenian people and is recorded in Armenia's history, a history that cannot be rewritten, regardless of any so-called textbooks being published, Zakharova stated during a briefing on Wednesday, reacting to a recent controversy caused by an Armenian history schoolbook that referred to Russian imperial protectorate over Armenia as to “annexation”./pp

In February 2024, Armenia announced the suspension of its membership in the CSTO and later also refused to pay its membership dues to the organization./pp

On June 12, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan stated that the next logical step in relations with the CSTO would be to exit the organization. However, shortly after, Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan clarified that the Prime Minister meant that Armenian authorities would decide for themselves when to leave the organization./pp br/p