Jens Asbjørn Bøgen
“If I write ‘strategic partnership,’ you will ask: ‘What happened in September 2022?” the PM says.
Russia and Armenia have historically been close allies through centuries of shared history and security needs.
But according to Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, there is no reason to treat Russia as a strategic partner anymore.
Speaking to reporters in Yerevan, he pointed directly to Moscow and the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO). According to news agency ARKA, both failed to satisfy security obligations during a 2022 border conflict with Azerbaijan.
“After the events of September 2022, to say there is a strategic partnership… If we now write ‘strategic partnership’ in the Armenian government’s 2026-2031 program, you will ask why Russia and the CSTO did not fulfill their security obligations in September 2022,” Pashinyan stated.
The rift highlights a dramatic shift in South Caucasus geopolitics following years of tension.
What happened in September 2022?
In September 2022, a major military escalation erupted between Armenia and Azerbaijan that ultimately caused the permanent collapse of the Armenia-Russia alliance.
Over several days of intense fighting starting on September 12–13, 2022, Azerbaijani forces launched heavy artillery, drone, and missile strikes targeting positions inside the internationally recognized sovereign borders of Armenia proper.
Because the attack occurred on Armenia’s internationally recognized sovereign territory, Yerevan expected an immediate defensive response under its bilateral treaties with Russia and Article 4 of the CSTO collective defense charter (the post-Soviet equivalent to NATO’s Article 5), but as Russia was preoccupied with the newly launched invasion of Ukraine, no help came when Armenia asked for it.
Welcoming an exit
Yerevan froze its CSTO membership in early 2024 and halted funding shortly after. Pashinyan previously dismissed the group as a “bubble alliance” while accusing several member states of siding with Baku.
He confirmed to parliament that Armenia has no intention of resuming active participation in the military alliance over the next five years. In fact, he welcomed the possibility of being kicked out completely.
“I would be very glad if the organization decides to expel the Republic of Armenia. In any case, it would free us from the dilemma of whether to leave or not leave it,” Pashinyan said, local media reports according to The New Voice of Ukraine.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov noted earlier that member states could strip Armenia of voting rights or expel it for unpaid dues. Pashinyan calmly replied that his government would simply accept the outcome.
Turning toward Europe
Instead of looking east, Armenia is quietly shifting its focus toward the European Union. Pashinyan addressed demands from Moscow regarding a potential national referendum on joining the bloc.
Official government plans describe the shift with Russia as “a natural process” driven by new regional dynamics. Dialogue will continue on paper. Still, Armenia is forging a fresh path for its international future.
