Armenian Foreign Ministry addresses CSTO membership fee issue

The Armenian Foreign Ministry commented on the country’s position on the payment of its CSTO membership dues. In response to an official inquiry from Sputnik Armenia, the ministry confirmed that Yerevan had notified the organization’s secretariat of its decision to abstain from signing the relevant document.

“The Armenian side has officially notified the CSTO secretariat of its decision to refrain from signing the decision ‘On the CSTO budget for 2024’ and, accordingly, from participating in the financing of the organization’s activities,” the Foreign Ministry said.

The ministry also emphasized that in accordance with the CSTO’s internal procedures, information on the annual budget is not subject to public dissemination.

Earlier, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Pankin said that if Armenia fails to pay its membership dues by the end of 2025, the CSTO member states may consider different scenarios for the development of the situation.