BISHKEK, September 7. /TASS/. Moscow hews to the position that member states of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) should prioritize holding military exercises with their allies, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov told reporters.

Commenting on Armenia’s plans to hold joint drills with the United States, which kick off on September 11, he said: "Armenia is an CSTO ally, and we have always operated on the premise that CSTO members should hold maneuvers with their allies."

"Of course, we have taken note of this. And we have highlighted in the most serious way to our Armenian allies <…> the fact that we perceive this with an element of concern," he said, taking a question from TASS.

Earlier, the Armenian Defense Ministry announced that the South Caucasus country will hold a joint military exercise, Eagle Partner 2023, with the United States on Armenian soil on September 11-20.

On Monday, Gunther Fehlinger, chair of the European Committee for NATO Enlargement, called on Armenia to join the North Atlantic Alliance. Later that day, Armenian Deputy Foreign Minister Vahan Kostanyan said that his country cooperated with NATO in various formats and that it was ready to continue this process.