Russia’s foreign minister has accused Armenia, a former ally, of “distorting history” in a bid to “break” relations with Moscow.
Armenia has recently stepped up its criticism of Russia. Last month, it said it had “frozen our participation” in the Russian-led Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO).
The Collective Security Treaty Organization is considered The Russian equivalent of NATOand Russian President Vladimir Putin hoped it could rival the Western military alliance.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told Russian newspaper Izvestia that the situation “does not inspire optimism”, according to a translation by the Ukrainian newspaper Kyiv Independent.
“Frankly, the Armenian leadership, under far-fetched pretexts, distorting the history of the last three or three and a half years, is deliberately leading things to the breakdown of relations with the Russian Federation,” he said.
Lavrov said Armenia failed to mention the support it received from the CSTO and that Russia had repeatedly protected Armenia’s interests in difficult situations.
Armenia, once part of the Soviet Union, has deep historical and financial ties to Russia. But tensions between the two countries have recently escalated, with Armenia defying Russia and the CSTO and appearing to seek closer ties with the West.
Tensions became apparent in 2022 when Armenia sought help from the CSTO during border clashes with neighboring Azerbaijan.
Russia did not send troops, angering Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan.
He called the response “depressing” and “extremely damaging to the image of the CSTO, both in our country and abroad,” then physically distanced himself from Putin in a group photo at an international summit later that year.
Pashinyan declared in June 2023 that Armenia was “not Russia’s ally in the war with Ukraine” and said the country felt trapped between Russia and the West.
And then last month he said that Armenia had suspended its participation in the CSTO.
“The Collective Security Treaty has not fulfilled its objectives with regard to Armenia, especially in 2021 and 2022. And we cannot let this happen without realizing it,” he said.
“We have now, in practical terms, frozen our participation in this treaty. As for what happens next, we will have to see.”
Armenia has also strengthened its ties with the West.
Pashinyan Cancellation of military exercises with Russia in January 2023 and announced in September a joint military exercise with the United States. Armenia also ordered air defense systems and radars from France.
Armenia’s foreign minister said last month that his country was considering applying for EU membership.
NATO Secretary Jens Stoltenberg also visited Armenia this month to discuss stability in the region as the conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan continues. He also reiterated his belief that Russia must be stopped in Ukraine.
Lavrov, in his comments this week, accused Stoltenberg’s trip of being part of a Western effort to disrupt the region.
“The goal of those trying to influence Armenian leaders to side with the West is simple: to disrupt stability in the South Caucasus and make it a zone of Western domination,” he said .
“The West is doing the same in Central Asia and many other parts of our common continent.”
While tensions between Armenia and Russia are clearly strained, experts on Russia and the former Soviet Union countries say relations between Russia and other CSTO members are also under pressure.
Russia’s military failures in Ukraine and its response to Armenia have left some CSTO members fearing that Russia will not be able to protect them, and might even attack them, experts told Business Insider.
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