The Russian Foreign Ministry stated that despite the declaration of suspension of membership, Armenia still has financial obligations to the CSTO

Armenia continues to have financial obligations to the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), although the country’s authorities announced the suspension of its membership in the organization and refused to contribute to the country’s budget, the Russian Foreign Ministry said.

“Yerevan remains obliged to fulfill the financial requirements in accordance with the Charter of the organization and other documents approved by the heads of state of the CSTO members,” RIA Novosti quoted a statement from the Russian Foreign Ministry as saying.

The Russian Foreign Ministry said this approach was “consistent with the global practice of international organizations, where financial discipline is maintained regardless of the desire of one of the parties to ‘suspend’ or even terminate its membership.”

Due to Armenia’s refusal to finance the CSTO, the Russian Foreign Ministry stated that the organization’s budget for 2024 would have to be adjusted. Nevertheless, the Foreign Ministry’s statement said, the organization continues to work as usual; in some cases, the CSTO Secretariat may draw on existing reserves.

Armenia’s contribution to the CSTO for 2024 was set at 53.22 million rubles.

In February 2024, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan announced that Armenia had “frozen” its participation in the CSTO. In May, Armenia also stopped funding this organization.