Russia actively reacting to Yerevan’s decision to refuse to sign CSTO financing document
Armenia’s refusal to support the funding of the CSTO confirms that the country is doing its best to win the favor of the West, Alexey Zhuravlev, First Deputy Chairman of the State Duma’s Defense Committee, told RIA Novosti.
“Armenia’s parliament has even made an official decision to join the EU,” Zhuravlev noted, commenting on Armenia’s decision to reject signing the CSTO funding document.
He pointed out that none of the EU member states have such a resolution, as it is simply unnecessary, even as a formality.
“Now they are refusing to pay the CSTO, and a question immediately arises: have they ever paid? There is no information about this in public sources,” the State Duma member said. He noted that if Armenia withdraws from the CSTO, it will quickly be “absorbed” by its neighbors, who, by the way, still have territorial claims against Armenia. “No one from NATO or the EU will lift a finger to help,” Zhuravlev believes.
The decision by Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan to reject funding from the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) is imposed from outside, State Duma member Sergey Mironov said in an interview with NEWS.ru. According to him, Armenia’s actions reflect the “signature” of the West.
“It is clear that the West has not abandoned its plans to use Armenia to open another front against Russia—this time in the Caucasus region,” Mironov stated.
He believes this decision fits into the overall policy of Pashinyan’s government. The legislator thinks that the Armenian prime minister is leading the country toward severing ties with its historical allies, namely the CSTO member states.
Alexander Borodai, Deputy Chairman of the State Duma’s Committee for CIS Affairs, Eurasian Integration, and Relations with Compatriots, believes that Pashinyan’s disdain for the CSTO is part of his policy of alienating Russia.
“Despite the loss of Nagorno-Karabakh, for which he miraculously blamed Russia, Pashinyan exerts a magical influence over a significant portion of the Armenian population,” the legislator noted.
