CSTO

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 .

Groong episodes that include this tag

Below are all Groong episodes tagged with CSTO.

Renewed Hostilities in Artsakh | Ukraine | FM Arabat Mirzoyan in Antalya | Ep #128 - Mar 13, 2022 [EP128]

Posted on Monday, Mar 14, 2022 | Category: Russia, Ukraine, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Turkey, Artsakh, Syria, Iran, Armenian Church, Nagorno Karabakh, NATO

Guest(s):

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

Ukraine | Dismissing Generals | 2nd Normalization Meeting | New President | Ep #126 - Mar 6, 2022 [EP126]

Posted on Monday, Mar 7, 2022 | Category: Russia, Ukraine, Armenia, Turkey, China, Economy, Syria, Genocide, Iran, Azerbaijan, Geopolitics, Georgia, India, Nagorno Karabakh, Armenian Genocide, NATO | Series: wir

Guest(s):

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

Ukraine | Dismissing Generals | 2nd Normalization Meeting | New President | Ep #126 - Mar 6, 2022 [EP126]

Posted on Monday, Mar 7, 2022 | Category: Russia, Ukraine, Armenia, Turkey, China, Economy, Syria, Genocide, Iran, Azerbaijan, Geopolitics, Georgia, India, Nagorno Karabakh, Armenian Genocide, NATO

Guest(s):

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

Ukraine | Donetsk Luhansk, Artsakh | Aliyev in Moscow | Euronest in Yerevan | Ep #125 - Feb 27, 2022 [EP125]

Posted on Monday, Feb 28, 2022 | Category: Russia, Ukraine, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Turkey, Georgia, Iran, China, Artsakh, Genocide, Economy, Geopolitics, Lebanon, Nagorno Karabakh, NATO | Series: wir

Guest(s):

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

Ukraine | Donetsk Luhansk, Artsakh | Aliyev in Moscow | Euronest in Yerevan | Ep #125 - Feb 27, 2022 [EP125]

Posted on Monday, Feb 28, 2022 | Category: Russia, Ukraine, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Turkey, Georgia, Iran, China, Artsakh, Genocide, Economy, Geopolitics, Lebanon, Nagorno Karabakh, NATO

Guest(s):

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

Color Me Kazakhstan | Expectations From 1st Normalization Meeting on Friday | Ep #112 - Jan 9, 2022 [EP112]

Posted on Tuesday, Jan 11, 2022 | Category: Russia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Turkey, Ukraine, Iran, Georgia, Geopolitics, USA, China, Human Rights, Economy, Nagorno Karabakh, European Union, NATO, Syria, India | Series: wir

ANN/Groong Week in Review - January 9, 2022

Topics:

  • Color Me Kazakhstan
  • Turkish-Armenian Normalization Meeting on January 14

Guests:

  • Benyamin Poghosyan TW/@Benyamin_Poghos
  • Pietro Shakarian

Guest(s):

Hosts:

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

Episode 112 | Recorded: Sunday, January 9, 2022 Website: https://groong.org/podcasts/WiR-20220109.html

Color Me Kazakhstan | Expectations From 1st Normalization Meeting on Friday | Ep #112 - Jan 9, 2022 [EP112]

Posted on Tuesday, Jan 11, 2022 | Category: Russia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Turkey, Ukraine, Iran, Georgia, Geopolitics, USA, China, Human Rights, Economy, Nagorno Karabakh, European Union, NATO, Syria, India

ANN/Groong Week in Review - January 9, 2022

Topics:

  • Color Me Kazakhstan
  • Turkish-Armenian Normalization Meeting on January 14

Guests:

  • Benyamin Poghosyan TW/@Benyamin_Poghos
  • Pietro Shakarian

Guest(s):

Hosts:

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

Episode 112 | Recorded: Sunday, January 9, 2022 Website: https://groong.org/podcasts/WiR-20220109.html

Turkish Armenian Normalization - Conversation with Harut Sassounian | Ep #111 - Jan 9, 2022 [EP111]

Posted on Sunday, Jan 9, 2022 | Category: Armenia, Turkey, Azerbaijan, Genocide, Russia, Israel, Artsakh, Economy, Armenian Genocide, Human Rights, Armenian Church, Georgia, Syria, Nagorno Karabakh, Artsakh Blockade, European Union, NATO | Series: cog

Turkish-Armenian Normalization Negotiations A Conversation with Harut Sassounian

  • Harut Sassounian has been the publisher of The California Courier newspaper since 1983. He is also the President of the Armenia Artsakh Fund, a non-profit organization which has delivered to Armenia and Artsakh $947 million of humanitarian assistance since 1989. He is currently engaged in forming the Diaspora Armenian Parliament through local elections.

Topics:

  • History of Turkish-Armenian Attempts at Negotiations
  • Who are The Players?
  • Why Now? What’s on the Agenda?
  • What are the Pitfalls and Opportunities?
 Read More

Turkish Armenian Normalization - Conversation with Harut Sassounian | Ep #111 - Jan 9, 2022 [EP111]

Posted on Sunday, Jan 9, 2022 | Category: Armenia, Turkey, Azerbaijan, Genocide, Russia, Israel, Artsakh, Economy, Armenian Genocide, Human Rights, Armenian Church, Georgia, Syria, Nagorno Karabakh, Artsakh Blockade, European Union, NATO

Turkish-Armenian Normalization Negotiations A Conversation with Harut Sassounian

  • Harut Sassounian has been the publisher of The California Courier newspaper since 1983. He is also the President of the Armenia Artsakh Fund, a non-profit organization which has delivered to Armenia and Artsakh $947 million of humanitarian assistance since 1989. He is currently engaged in forming the Diaspora Armenian Parliament through local elections.

Topics:

  • History of Turkish-Armenian Attempts at Negotiations
  • Who are The Players?
  • Why Now? What’s on the Agenda?
  • What are the Pitfalls and Opportunities?
 Read More