Asbarez: As NATO Courts Yerevan, Pashinyan Says Armenia will Not be Active in

NATO envoy to Caucasus Kevin Hamilton (left) meets with Armenia’s National Security chief Armen Grigoryan in Yerevan on Apr. 20

As NATO sent an envoy to Yerevan to meet with high-level government representatives, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said that Armenia will not see a return to “active” participation in the Russia-led Collective Security Treaty Organization—CSTO—of which it is a member.

The NATO Secretary General’s Special Representative for the Caucasus and Central Asia Kevin Hamilton was in Yerevan on Monday meeting various Armenian government officials, among them the country National Security chief Armen Grigoryan.

The two officials discussed strengthening relations between Armenia and the North Atlantic security group and aligning approaches to regional issues.

“The meeting focused on the current agenda and future prospects of Armenia–NATO relations. Grigoryan highlighted the positive dynamics in bilateral ties and emphasized Armenia’s commitment to further strengthening cooperation with the Alliance,” a statement from Grigoryan’s office said.

Hamilton reportedly underscored the importance of collaboration built through Armenia’s participation in NATO-led peacekeeping missions, noting that such engagement has contributed to deepening mutual cooperation.

Outlining the ruling party’s election program on Monday, Pashinyan vowed that his administration would not seek an active role in the CSTO.

The issue of Armenia’s participation in the CSTO become a focal point of meeting Pashinyan had with President Vladimir Putin of Russia on April 1 in Moscow. The Russian leader did not mince words when he and Pashinyan traded barbs over who was responsible for the effective closure of the Nagorno-Karabakh settlement issue.

“As you know, the Republic of Armenia’s membership in the CSTO is frozen, and no steps will be taken to return to active participation. This is also recorded in our pre-election program,” Pashinyan said in a video message.

Addressing Armenia’s participation in other multilateral formats, Pashinyan noted that Armenia’s engagement in such frameworks is important for making its balanced and balancing foreign policy more effective.

“In the UN and its specialized agencies, the Council of Europe, the OSCE, the CIS, the International Organization of La Francophonie, and the European Political Community, the Republic of Armenia will continue to remain an active member. The Republic of Armenia has also become a member of the Board of Peace initiated by U.S. President Donald Trump and will continue its work in that format,” Pashinyan said.

—