Former CSTO Secretary General Calls for Armenia’s Expulsion from Alliance

MOSCOW — Former Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) Secretary General Nikolai Bordyuzha has called for Armenia to be expelled from the Russian-led military alliance, arguing that the country no longer participates in the organization’s activities while retaining the right to influence its decisions.

“Armenia should be expelled from the CSTO because it does not participate in its work, yet all decisions must still be coordinated with it,” Bordyuzha said.

The CSTO’s other member states are Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan.

Armenia announced in 2024 that it was freezing its participation in the organization, although the CSTO charter does not formally provide for such a status. Yerevan also suspended payment of its membership contributions.

Bordyuzha argued that Armenia’s continued formal membership creates difficulties for the organization’s decision-making process, which operates by consensus.

“If they suspend their participation but do not withdraw, they remain full members of the CSTO. And if they are full members, all decisions must be made with their positions taken into account, because CSTO decisions are adopted by consensus. This situation fundamentally contradicts what is currently happening within the organization,” he explained.

According to Bordyuzha, the appropriate course of action would be for Armenia to withdraw voluntarily. Otherwise, he believes the organization should consider expelling the country.

“I would expel them. They do not pay their membership fees and do not participate in the organization’s work. If they are serious partners, they should simply leave. But since their position remains ambiguous, they should be expelled,” Bordyuzha said.

Earlier, CSTO Secretary General Taalatbek Masadykov stated that the issue of Armenia’s expulsion could be raised at the organization’s Collective Security Council meeting scheduled for November 11, 2026, in Moscow.

Masadykov also asserted that Armenia was violating Articles 20 and 25 of the CSTO charter.