On December 11, Maria Zakharova, the Spokesperson of the Russian Foreign Ministry, stated that Armenia remains a full member of the CSTO, retaining all associated rights and obligations, and that there are no barriers to the resumption of active and normal cooperation with other member states. During the briefing, Zakharova emphasized that reports suggesting Armenia had withdrawn or was about to withdraw from the CSTO were inaccurate. She added that claims of a freeze in Armenia’s participation were also baseless, noting that such a status does not exist in the CSTO’s legal framework. Zakharova further explained that, according to the CSTO Charter, a member state can withdraw only in the manner prescribed by the organization. She clarified that if a state fails to meet its obligations, its citizens’ rights to nominate positions and vote within CSTO bodies may be suspended until arrears are cleared, similar to approaches in the UN system.

In a related statement, Alexey Overchuk, the Deputy Prime Minister of Russia, addressed Armenia’s growing engagement with the European Union. He noted that, eventually, Armenia would have to choose between the EU and the Eurasian Economic Union, as simultaneous membership in both integration blocs is incompatible. He also highlighted that, despite generally good contacts between Armenia and Russia, trade between the countries fell sharply in 2025. He stated that last year, trade between the countries was $12.4 billion, but this year, it will likely be around $6 billion, describing it as a very significant decline. Overchuk added that Russian businesses had grown cautious about engaging with Armenia.