In comments that are certain to further exacerbate relations between Armenia and Russia, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan on Wednesday confirmed that Yerevan will not host an upcoming summit of the Eurasian Economic Union, adding that Armenia’s ties with the CSTO have crossed a “point of not return.”
Armenia was scheduled to host the EEU summit in Yerevan later this month at the end of its rotating presidency of the Russia-led economic coalition. Moscow announced late last month that the EEU summit would take place as scheduled on December 25, but in St. Petersburg, Russia. Pashinyan’s office indicated that he will participate.
Speaking to lawmakers on Wednesday, Pashinyan confirmed that his government refused to host the summit, because of some of the participants who would be attending.
“I personally found it inexpedient to hold the event in Armenia because unfortunately, due to circumstances known to you, not all members of the EEU Supreme Economic Council are desirable for Armenia,” he said, answering a question from an opposition lawmaker.
While Pashinyan did not name anyone in particular, earlier this year he called out President Aleksander Lukashenko of Belarus, who had sparked a diplomatic row with Yerevan when he made pro-Azerbaijani comments during a visit to Baku and occupied Artsakh.
As for the Collective Security Treaty Organization, Pashinyan doubled down on his earlier decision to freeze Armenia’s membership in another Russia-led group, which he has said violated its charter by not assisting Armenia when Azerbaijani forces—on two occasions—breached Armenia’s sovereign borders and invaded its territory.
“We have said we are freezing our participation in the CSTO, which means that we are not participating in the discussion of any document. We simply do not veto any document, because, in fact, we see ourselves outside the CSTO, let them do whatever they want. This situation makes Armenia’s return to the CSTO increasingly difficult, if not impossible. I think that here we have crossed the point of no return,” Pashinyan said.
Following the latest CSTO summit held in Astana, Kazakhstan last week, President Vladimir Putin of Russia expressed hope that Armenia “will return to full-scale work within the framework of this organization.”
The Russian leader dismissed Yerevan’s criticism of the CSTO, linking it to “internal political processes in Armenia” and Azerbaijan waging a war on Artsakh in 2020. Putin also denied any “external aggression against Armenia itself.”
“The situation related to Karabakh has nothing to do with this,” countered Pashinyan on Wednesday.
CSTO Secretary General Imangali Tasmagambetov told the Russian RIA Novosti news agency that the group’s commitments and obligations to Armenia remain unchanged, saying Yerevan’s posturing toward the security organization emanates from “the decision of the military and political leadership of Armenia.”
“We are proceeding from the fact that the Republic of Armenia is our ally, and all our obligations towards Armenia are maintained. Armenia can return to full-scale participation in the work of the organization at any time; there is no objection,” the CSTO Secretary General said.
“The non-participation of Armenia does not affect the productiveness of the organization’s work. However, we proceed from the fact that the Republic of Armenia is our ally, and all our obligations towards Armenia are maintained,” Tasmagambetov explained.
He emphasized that Armenia can return to full-scale participation in the CSTO at any time, and there are no objections or obstacles from other CSTO members in that regard.
