The move by Armenia to freeze its membership in the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) has will weaken of the bloc’s positions in the South Caucasus, Russian Ambassador to Belarus Boris Gryzlov said in an interview with the publication Allies of the CSTO.

“Any step that could alienate the CSTO member states from each other is deeply wrong. The Organization has created effective mechanisms that allow for discussion and resolution of a wide range of issues, even if at first they seem difficult to resolve,” Gryzlov said.

“I do not think that such a step by Yerevan (the freezing of its membership in the CSTO) can seriously disrupt the work of the Organization, since it is completely stable. Although, of course, it will mean a weakening of the CSTO's positions in the South Caucasus.”

According to the ambassador, all the actions and plans of the West in the South Caucasus are not dictated by concern for the countries of the region.

“Washington and Brussels are not striving for constructive cooperation, but to involve the countries of the region in their geopolitical adventures. Whether this will bring more security to Armenia is a rhetorical question,” he added.

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said in February that Armenia has frozen its participation in the CSTO because the bloc had failed the country. "The Collective Security Treaty has not fulfilled its objectives as far as Armenia is concerned, particularly in 2021 and 2022. And we could not let that happen without taking notice," Pashinyan said.