Tag: CSTO

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.

Armenian News Network/Groong Week in Review - April 10, 2022

Topics:

  • 00:00:00 Introduction

  • 00:02:25 Opposition Protests in Yerevan: Thousands showed up to the opposition protest on Tuesday, outlining the red lines for Pashinyan’s dealings with Aliyev, ahead of the meeting in Brussels. Opposition says this is only the beginning, but have yet to indicate what their next steps will be.

  • 00:12:35 Buying Bread from a Man in Brussels: Pashinyan went to Brussels this week to meet with Charles Michel and Ilham Aliyev. Did the Armenian PM firmly set his foot down and demand Azerbaijan

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Armenian News Network/Groong Week in Review - March 20, 2022

Topics:

  • 00:00 Introduction
  • 00:47 Azerbaijan’s “Peace” Deal
  • 13:34 Artsakh Without Natural Gas in Winter
  • 28:07 Ukraine Protests in Yerevan
  • 43:29 Vardenis Mayoral Issue Resolved
  • 47:17 Rants

Guest:

Host:

Episode 129 | Recorded: Sunday, March 21, 2022 Website: https://groong.org/podcasts/WiR-20220320.html

Armenian News Network/Groong Week in Review - March 20, 2022

Topics:

  • 00:00 Introduction
  • 00:47 Azerbaijan’s “Peace” Deal
  • 13:34 Artsakh Without Natural Gas in Winter
  • 28:07 Ukraine Protests in Yerevan
  • 43:29 Vardenis Mayoral Issue Resolved
  • 47:17 Rants

Guest:

Host:

Episode 129 | Recorded: Sunday, March 21, 2022 Website: https://groong.org/podcasts/WiR-20220320.html

ANN/Groong Week in Review - March 13, 2022

Topics:

  • Renewed Hostilities in Artsakh
  • Update on Ukraine
  • FM “Arabat” Mirzoyan in Antalya

Guest:

  • Dr. Pietro Shakarian

Host:

  • Asbed Bedrossian TW/@qubriq
  • Hovik Manucharyan TW/@HovikYerevan

Episode 128 | Recorded: Sunday, March 13, 2022 Website: https://groong.org/podcasts/WiR-20220313.html

ANN/Groong Week in Review - March 13, 2022

Topics:

  • Renewed Hostilities in Artsakh
  • Update on Ukraine
  • FM “Arabat” Mirzoyan in Antalya

Guest:

  • Dr. Pietro Shakarian

Host:

  • Asbed Bedrossian TW/@qubriq
  • Hovik Manucharyan TW/@HovikYerevan

Episode 128 | Recorded: Sunday, March 13, 2022 Website: https://groong.org/podcasts/WiR-20220313.html

ANN/Groong Week in Review - March 6, 2022

Topics:

  • 00:00 Introduction
  • 01:15 Ukraine War and Effects on Armenia
  • 19:04 Armenia Shuffles Generals
  • 25:15 Second Normalization Meeting
  • 33:06 Armenian Parliament Elects New President

Guest:

  • Benyamin Poghosyan TW/@Benyamin_Poghos

Host:

  • Asbed Bedrossian TW/@qubriq

Episode 126 | Recorded: Sunday, March 6, 2022 Website: https://groong.org/podcasts/WiR-20220306.html

ANN/Groong Week in Review - March 6, 2022

Topics:

  • 00:00 Introduction
  • 01:15 Ukraine War and Effects on Armenia
  • 19:04 Armenia Shuffles Generals
  • 25:15 Second Normalization Meeting
  • 33:06 Armenian Parliament Elects New President

Guest:

  • Benyamin Poghosyan TW/@Benyamin_Poghos

Host:

  • Asbed Bedrossian TW/@qubriq

Episode 126 | Recorded: Sunday, March 6, 2022 Website: https://groong.org/podcasts/WiR-20220306.html

ANN/Groong Week in Review - February 27, 2022

Topics:

  • Developments in the Ukraine Crisis
  • Donetsk, Luhansk. Artsakh?
  • Aliyev in Moscow
  • Euronest in Yerevan

Guest:

  • Pietro Shakarian
  • Yeghia Tashjian Host:
  • Asbed Bedrossian TW/@qubriq
  • Hovik Manucharyan TW/@HovikYerevan

Episode 125 | Recorded: Sunday, February 27, 2022 Website: https://groong.org/podcasts/WiR-20220227.html

ANN/Groong Week in Review - February 27, 2022

Topics:

  • Developments in the Ukraine Crisis
  • Donetsk, Luhansk. Artsakh?
  • Aliyev in Moscow
  • Euronest in Yerevan

Guest:

  • Pietro Shakarian
  • Yeghia Tashjian Host:
  • Asbed Bedrossian TW/@qubriq
  • Hovik Manucharyan TW/@HovikYerevan

Episode 125 | Recorded: Sunday, February 27, 2022 Website: https://groong.org/podcasts/WiR-20220227.html