The Armenian Foreign Ministry has announced that the country will not participate in funding the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) in 2025. As the ministry’s press service reported on March 31, Yerevan officially notified the organization’s secretariat of its decision to refrain from signing the relevant document regulating budget contributions. The move is further evidence of the growing rift between Armenia and the Russia-led military-political bloc, raising questions about the country’s future participation in the CSTO.

The Armenian Foreign Ministry clarified that the decision does not mean a complete withdrawal from the organization, but emphasizes Yerevan's dissatisfaction with its actions. In recent years, the country's authorities have repeatedly criticized the CSTO for failing to ensure Armenia's security, especially in the context of the conflict with Azerbaijan. The refusal to finance, according to diplomats, is a form of protest against the bloc's passivity on issues that are key to Yerevan. The amount that Armenia was supposed to contribute to the CSTO budget has not been disclosed, but it previously amounted to about $1,5 million annually, making its contribution relatively small compared to other participants such as Russia and Kazakhstan.

Yerevan’s decision follows a series of high-profile statements by Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, who in February 2025 threatened to suspend CSTO membership unless the organization reconsidered its position on Karabakh and the Armenian-Azerbaijani border. Pashinyan accused the bloc of failing to fulfill its collective defense commitments during the 2022 escalation with Baku, undermining the alliance’s credibility. Now, the withdrawal of funding has become a concrete step toward distancing itself, although a formal exit from the CSTO has not yet been announced.

Today, Armenia's relations with the CSTO are at a crisis point. In March 2025, Yerevan refused for the first time to participate in the organization's joint exercises held in Kyrgyzstan, which provoked a sharp reaction from Moscow. The Kremlin called Armenia's actions "unfriendly," and CSTO Secretary Imangali Tasmagambetov called on Yerevan to engage in dialogue to resolve disagreements. However, Pashinyan continues to strengthen contacts with the West: in early March, Armenia signed an agreement with France on the supply of air defense systems, and on March 25, it held talks with NATO representatives on expanding cooperation.

Yerevan’s geopolitical turn is also visible in the region. Azerbaijan, taking advantage of the weakened position of the CSTO, has increased its military presence along the border, which has forced Armenia to seek alternative security guarantees. According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), Armenia’s military budget has grown by 2025% in 12, reaching $1,2 billion, reflecting its desire for independence. Experts believe that refusing to finance the CSTO could be the first step towards a complete break if Russia does not offer Yerevan more convincing arguments for preserving the alliance.