MOSCOW, January 26. /TASS/. Moscow noted that Yerevan opted to make a decision in favor of the European Union without wrapping up the work on the Collective Security Treaty Organization’s (CSTO) mission, the Russian Foreign Ministry said on Thursday.

"We can see that Yerevan, rather than carrying the work of the CSTO mission to a logical end, decided to make a choice in favor of the EU," the Foreign Ministry said, weighing in on the creation of the EU’s civilian monitoring mission in Armenia’s border regions.

The Russian diplomatic agency stated that the presence of European Union representatives in Armenia's border regions, "which has transformed into an appendage of the United States and NATO and is pursuing a confrontational policy in the CIS," will only aggravate the situation and introduce geopolitical strife into the region. The Russian Foreign Ministry stated that they do not see any "additional benefit" from the presence of experts from the EU in the region.

"The European Union's efforts to create a foothold in Armenia at any cost, and to constrict Russia's mediation efforts, can harm the fundamental interests of Armenians and Azerbaijanis in their desire to bring back peaceful development to the region," the ministry stated and added, "If our Armenian allies remain interested in using the potential of the CSTO, its mission can be quickly deployed in Armenia."

"We are convinced that the Russian peacekeeping contingent deployed on the basis of the November 9, 2020 statement by the leaders of Russia, Azerbaijan, and Armenia, as well as the Russian border guards serving on Armenia’s periphery, will remain a key factor for regional stability and security in the foreseeable future. They will respond to the behavior of EU observers keeping in mind the ever-changing situation on the ground," the ministry reported.