Russia’s Ambassador in Yerevan praised Russian–Armenian relations, saying that there were ‘no comparable real alternatives’ to ties with Russia for ensuring Armenia’s security.

In an interview with Izvestiya on Monday, Russia’s Ambassador to Armenia, Sergey Kopyrkin, stated that there were ‘no comparable real alternatives’ to Russian–Armenian allied cooperation, including within the Collective Security Treaty Organisation (CSTO), for ensuring Armenia's security.’ 

‘Russia remains committed to its obligations to ensure Armenia’s security both in a bilateral format and through the CSTO,’ Kopyrkin said.

The CSTO is a defence bloc fronted by Russia. Armenia ‘froze’ its membership in the organisation citing its refusal to aid Armenia in the face of Azerbaijani attacks in 2021 and 2022.

Later that day, the Armenian Foreign Ministry stated that Minister Ararat Mirzoyan would not be participating in the joint meeting of the CSTO on 28 November in Kazakhstan, bringing together the Council of Foreign Ministers, the Council of Defence Ministers, and the Security Council Secretaries.

In mid-November, Armenian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Ani Badalyan stated that Armenia’s position regarding freezing its participation in the CSTO ‘hasn’t changed.’ The comment came after Armenia’s Ambassador in Russia attended a meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and representatives of the CSTO member states in Moscow.  

Armenian officials have been sitting out most sessions held by the CSTO and the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) since 2022. However, Armenian officials have been attending more CIS sessions in recent months, having participated in an October summit in Moscow, where they refused to endorse two statements adopted by the organisation’s Foreign Ministers Council.

Despite Armenia’s constant criticism of the CSTO, Russian officials continue to advocate for its importance for Armenia’s security. 

In his interview with Izvestiya, Kopyrkin also said that Moscow was interested in a ‘lasting peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan as soon as possible,’ noting his country’s readiness to assist in the peace talks, with Baku and Yerevan determining the level of assistance Moscow would provide.

He also underscored the importance of the peace treaty to be based on ‘a fair settlement of all mutual concerns, without a “bitter aftertaste” for any of the parties’.