Armenia still has financial obligations to the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), despite the fact that the country’s authorities announced the suspension of membership in it and refused to contribute to its budget, the Russian Foreign Ministry informed.

“Yerevan remains obligated to fulfill financial requirements in accordance with the Organization’s charter and other documents approved by the heads of state of the CSTO members,” RIA Novosti quotes a statement from the Russian Foreign Ministry.

The Russian Foreign Ministry said that this approach corresponds to “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 noted that the budget of the Organization for 2024 will have to be adjusted. Nevertheless, the statement of the Foreign Ministry emphasizes, the Organization continues to operate as usual; in some cases, the CSTO Secretariat may use 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 said that Armenia had “frozen” its participation in the CSTO. In May, Armenia also suspended funding for this organization.