Last updated: May 29, 2026
The Collective Security Treaty Organization is a Russian-led military alliance formed in 1992 among several post-Soviet states, including Armenia. For decades it served as the formal backbone of Armenia’s security architecture, providing the legal basis for basing Russian troops in the country and for collective defense commitments. Armenia’s membership was long treated as the price of Russia’s security umbrella in a volatile region.
The relationship fractured after the 44-Day War of 2020, when Russia brokered the ceasefire but CSTO troops were never deployed to defend Armenia. The September 2023 Azerbaijani offensive against Nagorno Karabakh (Artsakh) — which resulted in the ethnic cleansing of the entire Armenian population — exposed the alliance’s unwillingness to act on Armenia’s behalf. In 2024, Armenia formally suspended its participation in CSTO activities, effectively freezing its membership without a formal withdrawal.
Groong has covered the deterioration of Armenia’s relationship with the CSTO extensively: from the initial 2020 disillusionment through repeated CSTO summits where Armenia was isolated, the failed mediation attempts, and the domestic and foreign-policy implications of Armenia’s pivot away from the Russian security orbit toward Western security partnerships with France, the EU, and India .
Below are all Groong episodes tagged with CSTO.
Ambassador Dziunik Aghajanian explains how Iran is militarily, politically, and economically preparing for an anticipated third phase of conflict with Israel and the US, including reconstruction efforts and logistics planning.
Episode 556 | Recorded: Jun 9, 2026 #ArmenianElections #ArmenianNews #CivilContract #Pashinyan #Election2026 #SouthCaucasus
Episode 556 | Recorded: Jun 9, 2026 #ArmenianElections #ArmenianNews #CivilContract #Pashinyan #Election2026 #SouthCaucasus
In this episode of Groong Week in Review, we analyze the disputed results of Armenia’s June 7, 2026 Armenian Parliamentary Election. We examine Civil Contract’s contested majority, alleged irregularities and invalid ballots, the OSCE/ODIHR preliminary report, the last-minute exclusion of Prosperous Armenia, opposition arrests and pressure, and what a three-fifths majority could mean for Armenia’s courts, institutions, and foreign policy.
Episode 553 | Recorded: June 1, 2026
#Armenia #May28 #MarcoRubio #TRIPP #Syunik #CriticalMinerals #ElectionFraud #RussiaArmenia
Episode 553 | Recorded: June 1, 2026
#Armenia #May28 #MarcoRubio #TRIPP #Syunik #CriticalMinerals #ElectionFraud #RussiaArmenia
In this episode of Groong’s Week in Review, hosts Hovik and Asbed examine Armenia’s May 28 Independence Day parade as campaign theater, Marco Rubio’s push for critical minerals deals, and the strategic risks of TRIPP in Syunik. We discuss how Pashinyan’s military parade coincides with Armenian prisoners of war held hostage in Baku, the questionable financing of weapons through $8 billion in external debt, and the broader geopolitical pressures from Russia and Iran as Armenia heads into the 2026 Armenian Parliamentary Election.
Episode 545 | Recorded: May 12, 2026
#WeekInReview #Armenia #SwissPeaceInitiative #NagornoKarabakh #Artsakh
Episode 545 | Recorded: May 12, 2026
#WeekInReview #Armenia #SwissPeaceInitiative #NagornoKarabakh #Artsakh
In this Week in Review, Asbed and Hovik discuss the fallout from the EPC summit in Yerevan, Armenia’s role as a platform for anti-Russian messaging, and Putin’s warning about a possible “separation” if Armenia moves toward the EU. They examine the Armenia-EU declaration, focusing on TRIPP, Ukraine, hybrid threats, security cooperation, visa liberalization, and the Armenian Nuclear Power Plant. The episode then turns to Armenia’s election campaign, Pashinyan’s claim that Artsakh was “never ours,” Aliyev’s parallel messaging from occupied Artsakh, pressure on opposition figures, the Swiss Peace Initiative, and sharp divergence between election polls.
Episode 544 | Recorded: May 9, 2026
#AnnaGrigoryan #Armenia #ArmenianPolitics #ArmeniaElections #HayastanDashinq #EPCSummit #TRIPP #Artsakh
Episode 544 | Recorded: May 9, 2026
#AnnaGrigoryan #Armenia #ArmenianPolitics #ArmeniaElections #HayastanDashinq #EPCSummit #TRIPP #Artsakh
Anna Grigoryan of Hayastan Dashinq (Armenia Alliance) joins Groong to discuss Armenia’s June 7 parliamentary election and the start of the official campaign. The conversation examines the EPC and Armenia-EU summits in Yerevan, EU political and financial support for Pashinyan, Aliyev’s remote demarche, and opposition protests around Artsakh rights, Armenian prisoners, and democratic backsliding. The episode also covers opposition coalition math, Hayastan Dashinq’s 8% bloc threshold, Strong Armenia’s lead among opposition forces, possible post-election governing formulas, Read More
Episode 530 | Recorded: April 7, 2026
#Groong #Armenia
Episode 530 | Recorded: April 7, 2026
#Groong #Armenia
In this Week in Review, Hovik and Asbed discussed the escalating US-Israeli war on Iran and the danger of a wider regional catastrophe; we reflected on the tenth anniversary of the April 2016 Four-Day War and what it revealed about Armenia’s military and diplomatic posture; we examined the fallout from Pashinyan’s Moscow visit and the increasingly blunt Russian response, and reviewed the fast-moving Armenian election campaign, including pressure on the opposition, EU involvement, and the emerging strategies of major the various alliances.
Episode 529 | Recorded on April 3, 2026
#IranIsraelWar #IsraelIranConflict #IsraelConflict #Armenia #MiddleEastCrisis #ArmeniaElections #PietroShakarian #TRIPP
Episode 529 | Recorded on April 3, 2026
#IranIsraelWar #IsraelIranConflict #IsraelConflict #Armenia #MiddleEastCrisis #ArmeniaElections #PietroShakarian #TRIPP
Dr. Pietro Shakarian joined us to discuss the state of the U.S.-Israel war on Iran, the shrinking chances for a diplomatic off-ramp, and how the conflict is shifting wider Eurasian politics. The conversation then turned to Armenia, including the likely freezing of TRIPP amid the Iran war, Pashinyan’s contentious visit to Moscow, and the deeper low point in Armenia-Russia relations. The final section focused on Armenia’s June parliamentary elections, public sentiment toward Pashinyan, fears over election integrity, and the evolving opposition landscape.
Episode 500 | Recorded: December 31, 2025
Episode 500 | Recorded: December 31, 2025
Episode 488 | Recorded: November 24, 2025
Episode 488 | Recorded: November 24, 2025
Episode 486 | Recorded: November 17, 2025
Episode 486 | Recorded: November 17, 2025
Episode 484 | Recorded: November 10, 2025
Episode 484 | Recorded: November 10, 2025
Episode 462 | Recorded: August 15, 2025
Episode 462 | Recorded: August 15, 2025
Episode 460 | Recorded: August 11, 2025
Episode 460 | Recorded: August 11, 2025
Summary In this episode, Christine Arakelian and Col. Douglas MacGregor join the hosts to analyze U.S. foreign policy moves from Gaza to the South Caucasus. They discuss Israel’s ongoing campaign in Gaza, the recent U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran, and the likely resumption of hostilities. The conversation examines the Trump–Pashinyan–Aliyev White House summit, the strategic “Trump Corridor” across Armenia, and its impact on Russia, Iran, and India. The guests explore India–Armenia relations, U.S. economic vulnerabilities, and the challenges of sustaining a long-term American role in the Read More
Episode 458 | Recorded: August 9, 2025
Episode 458 | Recorded: August 9, 2025
In this episode, former U.S. Army officer and military-political analyst Stanislav Krapivnik discusses the geopolitical fallout from the Trump-Pashinyan-Aliyev summit in Washington, which saw the announcement of a “peace” framework, the dissolution of the OSCE Minsk Group, U.S. plans for a 99-year “Trump Corridor” across Armenia, and the dropping of Section 907 to allow arms sales to Azerbaijan. He examines Russia’s heavy focus on the Ukraine war at the expense of the South Caucasus, the loss of Russian leverage over Armenia and Azerbaijan, and the growing role of Turkey. Krapivnik warns of Read More
Episode 403 | Recorded: December 31, 2024
Episode 403 | Recorded: December 31, 2024
Episode 401 | Recorded: December 24, 2024
Episode 401 | Recorded: December 24, 2024
Episode 395 | Recorded: December 12, 2024
Episode 395 | Recorded: December 12, 2024
Syria and the Middle East. The South Caucasus. Intelligence, Surveillance, Reconnaissance. 44-Day War and the ISR Factor. Fueling Other Wars.
Episode 390 | Recorded: December 2, 2024
Episode 390 | Recorded: December 2, 2024
Episode 368 | Recorded: September 23, 2024
Episode 368 | Recorded: September 23, 2024
Episode 367 | Recorded: September 18, 2024
Episode 367 | Recorded: September 18, 2024
Episode 333 | Recorded: May 27, 2024
Episode 333 | Recorded: May 27, 2024
Episode 323 | Recorded: April 8, 2024
Episode 323 | Recorded: April 8, 2024
Episode 317 | Recorded: March 16, 2024
Episode 317 | Recorded: March 16, 2024
Episode 316 | Recorded: March 15, 2024
Episode 316 | Recorded: March 15, 2024
In this clip from episode #313 , we discuss Pashinyan’s bold move towards EU membership is risking its relationships with key allies like Russia and neighboring Iran. Recent statements hint at Armenia’s serious consideration of joining the EU, alongside actions like freezing activity in the CSTO and inviting Russian forces out of an airport.
Join us as we navigate the risks and uncertainties surrounding Armenia’s daring foreign policy decisions.
Episode 314 | Recorded: March 11, 2024
Episode 314 | Recorded: March 11, 2024
In this clip from episode #312 , we discuss a recent Russian-Armenian experts dialogue held in Yerevan, discussions delved into the state of relations between the two nations. Our guest Arthur Khachikyan was one of the participants.
The expert dialogue sparked significant reactions in Armenia, with some media channels expressing negativity towards the candid exchanges that took place. The Russian side was nota bly frank, warning of potential consequences for Armenia’s Western reorientation, referencing past events like Karabakh and suggesting future territorial concerns. The dialogue
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