CSTO Council to consider suspending Armenia's voting rights on November 11
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The Collective Security Treaty Organization will discuss suspending Armenia's voting rights at its Collective Security Council session in Moscow on November 11, Russia's permanent representative said. Armenia has not paid membership dues for over two years and has withdrawn its representatives from the organization's Joint Staff. The move comes as Armenia deepens ties with the European Union, having held its first EU-Armenia summit in May.
The November 11 Session
Russia's permanent representative to the CSTO, Viktor Vasilyev, said on Wednesday that leaders will likely discuss stripping Armenia of its voting rights at the upcoming session. The decision would be taken by consensus. The session is part of the CSTO's Collective Security Council meeting. Article 25 of the CSTO Charter allows for suspending voting rights and the right to nominate citizens for quota positions if a member state fails to pay contributions for more than two years.
Armenia's De-Facto Withdrawal
Armenia has not paid its CSTO membership dues for over two years and has not nominated its citizens to Secretariat positions. It also withdrew its representatives from the Joint Staff. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has stated that Armenia may leave the CSTO 'if necessary' and that his party's election program envisages no steps to resume participation. In February 2024, Armenia officially announced a 'freeze' on its participation, citing allies' failure to fulfill their obligations.
EU Integration Drive
Armenia's pivot toward the European Union has deepened the rift with its CSTO allies. On May 5, Yerevan hosted the first-ever Armenia-EU summit. A month later, Pashinyan spoke with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. The government initiated the European integration process in the spring of 2024, marking a definitive shift away from the Russia-led security bloc.
What's Next
The CSTO session on November 11 is expected to formalize the suspension of Armenia's voting rights. It remains unclear whether Armenia will preempt the decision by formally withdrawing from the organization.
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CSTO Council to consider suspending Armenia's voting rights on November 11
