Russia no longer listed among Armenia's strategic partners in new state program

Armenia–CSTO Relations: A Breaking Point

According to 5 канал: Armenia no longer calls Russia a strategic partner. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said that in the wake of the September 2022 events, when Russia and the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) left security commitments unfulfilled, it became hard to describe the relationship as a strategic alliance. The government's program for 2026–2031 omits Russia from the list of strategic allies, signaling a clear shift in Yerevan's foreign policy direction. For a South Caucasus country long seen as Moscow's closest ally in the region, this is a notable departure.

Pashinyan pointed to the CSTO's and Russia's failure to act as the key reason Armenia decided to freeze its role in the organization in 2024. Armenia's foreign ministry also said it would not contribute funding for CSTO activities under the organization's 2024 budget. According to the Armenian government, a final decision on CSTO membership could be made if member states show no political response to Azerbaijan's seizure of roughly 200 square kilometers of Armenian sovereign territory.

CSTO Reaction and International Consequences

The CSTO has confirmed that it continues to send Yerevan information about its decisions. Russian President Vladimir Putin acknowledged that Armenia remains a CSTO member, supports the bloc's decisions, but skips its meetings. Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko, meanwhile, voiced frustration with Armenia's leadership, complaining to Belarusian and Russian propaganda outlets about Pashinyan's closer ties with the European Union and the United States.

In a phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Pashinyan discussed bilateral cooperation and the outcomes of Zelensky's visit to Armenia. Pashinyan underlined:

All of this unfolded before your eyes. If I were to write down strategic partnership, you would ask: What happened in September 2022? Did the CSTO and Russia fail to carry out their security obligations? Yes, they did. What am I supposed to answer? Nikol Pashinyan

Pashinyan's statements highlight a dramatic realignment in Armenia's foreign policy, one that could reshape regional security and stability. By dropping Russia as a strategic partner and freezing CSTO participation, Armenia appears open to deeper cooperation with Western actors such as the European Union and the United States. The shift may also push Yerevan to rethink its military and political strategy amid continued threats from neighbors, especially Azerbaijan.