YEREVAN, November 26. /TASS/. Armenia’s withdrawal from the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) is not being discussed at this stage, Armenian Deputy Foreign Minister Mnatsakan Safaryan told reporters.

"This issue has not been raised with the Armenian Foreign Ministry so far. We have not been tasked with considering the matter, but if the situation moves in that direction, you will certainly be informed," the diplomat said when asked whether Armenia had explored the possibility of leaving the CSTO.

"We are not participating in CSTO activities, but we are not obstructing the adoption of decisions or documents either," Safaryan clarified.

Commenting on why Armenia remains a CSTO member while staying out of the organization’s activities, he said that this reflects the country’s current guideline. According to him, Armenia is shaping its foreign policy based on the principles of diversification and balance.

On November 24, Russian Presidential Aide Yury Ushakov announced that Armenian representatives would not attend the CSTO summit in Bishkek scheduled for November 27, although Yerevan said it did not oppose the adoption of documents concerning the entire bloc at the meeting.

Earlier, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan stated that Yerevan had suspended its participation in the CSTO because the organization allegedly posed a threat to the republic’s sovereignty. In December 2024, he said relations between Armenia and the CSTO had passed the "point of no return." Speaking at an international security forum in Warsaw, Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan noted that the country was assessing the risks of a potential withdrawal from the CSTO. In response, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said that such a move would not strengthen Armenia’s security and that Yerevan’s full return to CSTO activities would require time.