Lavrov to take part in CSTO Foreign Ministers Council meeting in Kazan

Lead

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has arrived in Kazan to take part in a meeting of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), according to a TASS correspondent. The meeting is scheduled for June 10 as part of Russia's CSTO chairmanship in 2026.

According to Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova, ministers will exchange views on the international and regional situation and prospects for further cooperation within the CSTO. Lavrov is also expected to brief his counterparts on initiatives aimed at implementing priorities of Russia's current CSTO chairmanship.

Coverage Comparison

All reports on this story come from TASS, the Russian state news agency. The coverage centers on three main threads: Lavrov's participation in the Kazan meeting, the CSTO's relationship with NATO, and the organization's handling of Armenia's failure to pay contributions.

One report focuses on the logistical details of the meeting, noting that documents to be submitted for consideration at the CSTO Collective Security Council session on November 11 in Moscow are expected to be approved, along with joint statements on pressing international issues. The same report mentions that Armenia is not expected to be represented at the meeting, as Yerevan froze its participation in the CSTO in 2024.

Other reports cover Lavrov's press conference following the meeting, where he discussed both NATO and Armenia. The tone across these reports is informative, with direct quotes from Lavrov used to convey the Russian position.

Key Claims

CSTO-NATO Relations

Lavrov stated at a press conference that the CSTO has always been open to dialogue with NATO. He referenced the period when the Russia-NATO Council was functioning and implementing programs such as supplying helicopters to Afghanistan for the fight against terrorism. However, even then, according to Lavrov, NATO was unwilling to enter into discussions with the CSTO on security issues.

Lavrov noted that a CSTO plenary session was the only event that brought the two organizations together. He also mentioned that the UN secretary general used to hold meetings with regional security organizations every two years. Despite numerous official proposals approved by CSTO leaders and sent to NATO headquarters, Lavrov said there was no equal dialogue, describing NATO's response as "arrogant silence." He attributed this to the West's continued approach to developments across the world.

Armenia's Position

Lavrov also addressed Armenia's relationship with the CSTO and NATO. He said Armenia has been refraining from taking part in CSTO activities for over two years while formally remaining a member. Armenian colleagues, he added, actively work to expand cooperation with NATO member states, holding military exercises, purchasing military goods, and exchanging military delegations with both NATO and the European Union, which he described as "also becoming a militarized structure."

The Armenian Foreign Ministry had earlier said that Yerevan expected to further strengthen partnership with NATO, particularly through participation in its Partnership for Peace program, which promotes bilateral military cooperation with non-member countries. Armenia signed its Individual Partnership Action Plan with NATO in December 2005. Its declared goals include supporting defense reforms, building effective military institutions, ensuring civilian control of the armed forces, and enhancing peacekeeping and humanitarian capabilities, along with providing for consultations with NATO members in the event of external aggression.

Armenia's CSTO Contributions

Lavrov confirmed that the CSTO will consider applying the relevant article of the association's charter to Armenia due to the republic's failure to pay contributions for two years. He quoted Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan, who had said on the day of elections in Armenia: "We do not pay contributions because we simply do not participate."

According to Lavrov, the situation is stipulated by the CSTO charter, and the members have agreed to look into the use of the relevant article. Under Article 25 of the CSTO charter, if a member state fails to repay its debt to the organization's budget within two years, the council suspends the right to nominate citizens of that state to quota positions and deprives them of the right to vote until the debt is fully repaid.

Background

Armenia froze its participation in the CSTO in 2024. On June 5, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan stated that Armenia would not return to the CSTO and, when necessary, would make a decision to leave the organization. At the same time, Yerevan has so far not obstructed decision-making within the CSTO. According to CSTO Secretary General Taalatbek Masadykov, the organization continues to regard Armenia as a full-fledged member.