Armenia loses military bloc voting rights, Kremlin spokesperson says

The Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) has deprived Armenia of its voting rights and its ability to appoint representatives to senior posts, Russian presidential spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said.

The decision follows Armenia’s announcement in February 2024 that it was freezing participation in the alliance’s activities. Armenia remains a member. It blamed the CSTO for failing to offer meaningful support during its war with Azerbaijan.

Peskov said the decision was based on the organization’s charter and that Armenia had failed to fulfill its obligations for several years. The CSTO’s Collective Security Council met in Moscow on 11 November. RIA Novosti carried Peskov’s account of the appointment decision, as cited by Armenpress.

What the draft proposed

Before the summit, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Armenia had not paid membership contributions since 2024 and cited Article 25 of the CSTO charter as the basis for proposed restrictions. The draft he described would have suspended voting and nominations for quota-based positions until Armenia repaid its outstanding fees.

Lavrov said before the decision that Armenia would retain fundamental treaty rights, including collective security, even if the restrictions were adopted. He also said Armenia had not formally applied to leave the CSTO and that the organization did not intend to expel it.