The Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) Collective Security Council meeting chaired by Russian President Vladimir Putin will be held on November 11 in Moscow. One of the main topics of the summit will be the status of Armenia in the organization: Yerevan has not paid membership fees for more than two years, and the meeting may discuss depriving the country of voting rights, TASS reports.
The press service of Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has not announced his participation in the summit. According to the government's information, the head of government has left for France on a working visit, where he will participate in the IX Paris Peace Forum.
Earlier, Pashinyan stated in parliament that he is in favor of Armenia's withdrawal from the CSTO and would be pleased if it happens. He said that in the coming five years Yerevan does not intend to activate its work within the organization, and the country's interest in it has been exhausted. At the same time, the prime minister did not provide a clear answer to what Armenia intends to substitute membership in the CSTO with, limiting himself to mentioning strengthening relations with Turkey and Azerbaijan. The possibility of NATO membership also remains an open question.
Earlier, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Pankin told TASS that Armenia has not paid CSTO membership fees for more than two years. According to him, at the November 11 meeting, a decision may be made to deprive the republic of voting rights until the debt is repaid. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov confirmed this information today.
At the same time, Lavrov emphasized that Moscow does not intend to close the opportunity for Yerevan to return to full participation in the organization. According to him, the CSTO door is "not closed" for Armenia, and no one intends to expel the republic. The minister also noted that no official application from Armenia about withdrawing from the organization has been received.
Overall, the participants of the Moscow summit will summarize the results of joint work during Russia's presidency, discuss regional and international agendas, and decide on the further directions of the organization's development. The leaders intend to adopt the anti-terrorism strategy planned until 2030 and a concluding declaration, as well as discuss decisions regarding the improvement of air defense and development of the CSTO Collective Aviation Forces.
In addition, it is expected that the participants will endorse the transfer of the organization's presidency to Tajikistan in 2027. President Emomali Rahmon will present Dushanbe's priorities for the upcoming period.
Russia's presidency began on January 1, 2026, under the motto "Collective security in a multipolar world: common goal, shared responsibility." The organization includes six member states: Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, and Tajikistan.
