Russia Presses for Resolution on Armenia's Status in Post-Soviet Blocs
Escalating Tensions and the Future of Armenia in Regional Alliances
By Dmitry Antonov
Background of Armenia-Russia Relations
MOSCOW, June 10 (Reuters) - Russia said on Wednesday that the question of whether Armenia remains part of a military alliance of former Soviet states and a separate economic grouping must be settled quickly, against a background of growing tensions between Moscow and Yerevan.
Armenia's Shift Towards the European Union
Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, who is working towards the goal of European Union membership for his South Caucasus country, won re-election on Sunday despite what international monitors said was blatant interference and pressure from Russia. In turn, Moscow accused Western countries of interfering in the vote in favour of Pashinyan.
Statements from Russian Officials
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Wednesday that whether Armenia remained in the two post-Soviet blocs - the Eurasian Economic Union and the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) - needed to be resolved promptly.
Incompatibility of EU Membership and Regional Alliances
He told a press conference that seeking to join the EU was incompatible with remaining in the economic union, which includes Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Armenia.
Armenia's Participation in the CSTO
In 2024 Pashinyan froze Armenia's participation in the CSTO, a Russian-led military alliance which groups the same countries plus Tajikistan, citing a lack of faith in its security guarantees after Azerbaijan recaptured Nagorno-Karabakh, a breakaway territory that had an ethnic Armenian population.
Absence from CSTO Activities and Growing Western Ties
Lavrov, speaking after a meeting of CSTO foreign ministers that Armenia did not attend, said Armenia was in arrears with its membership fees and had been absent from joint events even as it increased military cooperation with NATO and EU countries.
Implications of Armenia's Potential Exit
Armenia's formal exit from the bloc would further undermine Russia's efforts to keep Yerevan in its orbit. Pashinyan, in power since 2018, has sought to shift Armenia away from its traditional reliance on Moscow by deepening ties with Brussels and Washington.
Russian Pressure Ahead of Armenian Elections
Ahead of the June 7 election, Russia increased pressure on Armenia, imposing a raft of trade restrictions and threatening to suspend its membership in the Russian-led regional economic bloc over its EU accession hopes.
(Reporting by Dmitry Antonov; Writing by Alessandra Prentice; Editing by Mark Trevelyan and Gareth Jones)
