Pashinyan Again Criticizes CSTO and Lukashenko

YEREVAN — Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan once again criticized the Collective Security Treaty Organization and Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko during a campaign appearance in Yerevan.

Pashinyan stated that Armenia had legally binding security agreements with allies that were supposed to guarantee the country’s security. However, he said one of those guarantors — referring to Lukashenko — openly admitted during an official visit to Baku that he had participated in preparations for the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh war.

“That person was one of our security guarantors as a member of the CSTO,” Pashinyan declared.

Following Azerbaijani incursions into Armenian territory in 2021, Armenia froze its participation in the CSTO, accusing the military alliance of failing to activate mechanisms designed to protect member states.

Relations between Armenia and Belarus have also deteriorated significantly. Two years ago, both countries recalled their ambassadors, and temporary chargé d’affaires currently represent each side. Minsk recently sent a formal protest note to Yerevan following remarks by Parliament Speaker Alen Simonyan, who stated that “Armenia will not become a province,” citing Belarus as an example.