After Armenia withdraws from the CSTO, French soldiers will appear at the Gyumri military base, military experts say

Following Armenia’s departure from the CSTO, French military officers will appear at the Gyumri military base, where currently representatives of the Russian armed forces are stationed, Igor Korotchenko, editor-in-chief of the magazine Nacionalnaya Oborona and a military analyst, said in an interview with NEWS.ru.

He is sure that Paris is interested in maintaining a presence in the South Caucasus. According to him, so far, the issue has been limited to arm supplies from France without security guarantees. However, at any time that Yerevan finds preferable, Armenia can legally withdraw from the CSTO. At that point, French soldiers will appear at the Gyumri military base.

The expert noted that Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has bet on rearmament with the help of France and India. Paris and Yerevan have agreed that France will establish a comprehensive air defense system for Armenia.

Independent military expert Alexander Khramchikhin believes that Armenia has ceased purchasing weapons from Russia and has begun acquiring them from India and France due to a change in political course. He stated that Yerevan has, in fact, stopped being a member of the CSTO.