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.
Pascal Lottaz - Neutrality Studies, Armenia and the Incoming Multipolar World | Ep 367 - Sep 23, 2024 [EP367]
Posted on Tuesday, Sep 24, 2024 | Category: Armenia, Artsakh, World Order, Georgia, Russia, Ukraine, Israel, Azerbaijan, BRICS, European Union, China, Genocide, NATO, Lebanon, Turkey, Iran, India | Series: cog, video
Groong Links:
Guest:
Topics:
- What is Neutrality Studies?
- Rise of the Multi-Polar World
Episode 367 | Recorded: September 18, 2024
Pascal Lottaz - Neutrality Studies, Armenia and the Incoming Multipolar World | Ep 367 - Sep 23, 2024 [EP367]
Posted on Tuesday, Sep 24, 2024 | Category: Armenia, Artsakh, World Order, Georgia, Russia, Ukraine, Israel, Azerbaijan, BRICS, European Union, China, Genocide, NATO, Lebanon, Turkey, Iran, IndiaGroong Links:
Guest:
Topics:
- What is Neutrality Studies?
- Rise of the Multi-Polar World
Episode 367 | Recorded: September 18, 2024
Sergei Melkonian - Iran President and FM Killed in Helicopter Crash | Bagrat Srbazan Leads Mass Protests in Armenia | Armenian Russian Relations | Ep 333 - May 26, 2024 [EP333]
Posted on Tuesday, May 28, 2024 | Category: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Russia, Iran, India, Armenian Church, Israel, Turkey, Middle East, Ukraine, European Union, Georgia, Human Rights, NATO | Series: wir
Groong Links:
Guest:
Topics:
- Iran President and FM Killed in Helicopter Crash
- Bagrat Srbazan Leads Mass Protests in Armenia
- Armenian Russian Relations
Episode 333 | Recorded: May 27, 2024
Sergei Melkonian - Iran President and FM Killed in Helicopter Crash | Bagrat Srbazan Leads Mass Protests in Armenia | Armenian Russian Relations | Ep 333 - May 26, 2024 [EP333]
Posted on Tuesday, May 28, 2024 | Category: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Russia, Iran, India, Armenian Church, Israel, Turkey, Middle East, Ukraine, European Union, Georgia, Human Rights, NATOGroong Links:
Guest:
Topics:
- Iran President and FM Killed in Helicopter Crash
- Bagrat Srbazan Leads Mass Protests in Armenia
- Armenian Russian Relations
Episode 333 | Recorded: May 27, 2024
Anna Karapetyan - Trilateral US-EU-Armenia Meeting | Talks with Azerbaijan | Relations with Russia in Free fall | Pashinyan Suppressing Artsakh Leadership | Ep 323 - Apr 7, 2024 [EP323]
Posted on Tuesday, Apr 9, 2024 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Artsakh, Nagorno Karabakh, Azerbaijan, Russia, USA, Artsakh Blockade, European Union, NATO, Turkey, Economy, Iran, Georgia, Ukraine, India | Series: wir
Groong Links:
Guest:
Topics:
- Trilateral US-EU-Armenia Meeting
- Talks with Azerbaijan
- Tavush: What has Pashinyan Promised
- Relations with Russia in Freefall
- Pashinyan Suppressing Artsakh Leadership
Episode 323 | Recorded: April 8, 2024
Anna Karapetyan - Trilateral US-EU-Armenia Meeting | Talks with Azerbaijan | Relations with Russia in Free fall | Pashinyan Suppressing Artsakh Leadership | Ep 323 - Apr 7, 2024 [EP323]
Posted on Tuesday, Apr 9, 2024 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Artsakh, Nagorno Karabakh, Azerbaijan, Russia, USA, Artsakh Blockade, European Union, NATO, Turkey, Economy, Iran, Georgia, Ukraine, IndiaGroong Links:
Guest:
Topics:
- Trilateral US-EU-Armenia Meeting
- Talks with Azerbaijan
- Tavush: What has Pashinyan Promised
- Relations with Russia in Freefall
- Pashinyan Suppressing Artsakh Leadership
Episode 323 | Recorded: April 8, 2024
Hrant Mikaelian - Analysis of Recent MPG and IRI Poll Results| Ep 317 - Feb 17, 2024 [EP317]
Posted on Monday, Mar 18, 2024 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Poll, Artsakh, Nagorno Karabakh, Azerbaijan, NATO, Russia, Turkey, Iran, Economy, European Union, China, Genocide, Georgia, Israel, Syria, India | Series: cog, video
Groong Links:
Topics:
- IRI Poll, December 2023
- MPG Poll, February 2024
Guest:
Topics:
Episode 317 | Recorded: March 16, 2024
Hrant Mikaelian - Analysis of Recent MPG and IRI Poll Results| Ep 317 - Feb 17, 2024 [EP317]
Posted on Monday, Mar 18, 2024 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Poll, Artsakh, Nagorno Karabakh, Azerbaijan, NATO, Russia, Turkey, Iran, Economy, European Union, China, Genocide, Georgia, Israel, Syria, IndiaGroong Links:
Topics:
- IRI Poll, December 2023
- MPG Poll, February 2024
Guest:
Topics:
Episode 317 | Recorded: March 16, 2024
Amb. Andrew Turner - Establishment of Canadian Embassy in Armenia | EU Monitoring Mission | Political Prisoners | Canadian Mil. Supplies to Turkey | Ep 316 - Mar 16, 2024 [EP316]
Posted on Saturday, Mar 16, 2024 | Category: Canada, Armenia, Artsakh, Nagorno Karabakh, Azerbaijan, Armenian Genocide, Artsakh Blockade, NATO, Russia, Turkey, Ukraine, Iran, Genocide, Syria, Middle East, Georgia, Human Rights, China, Economy, European Union | Series: cog, video
Groong Links:
Guest:
Topics:
- Establishment of Canadian Embassy in Armenia
- EU Monitoring Mission in Armenia (EUMA)
- Political Prisoners
- Canadian Military Supplies to Turkey
Episode 316 | Recorded: March 15, 2024