CSTO leaders gather in Yerevan for an annual summit on Nov. 23, 2022

The Unites States said Russia is “not concerned” with Armenia’s interests and warned that Moscow cannot be a reliable ally in the South Caucasus.

This latest U.S. posturing was made in response to an inquiry from Voice of America’s Armenian Service regarding the announcement made last week by Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan about Armenia “freezing” its membership in the Russia-led Collective Security Treaty Organization.

“We respect Armenia’s aspirations as an independent country to continue its chosen security relationship, and we support the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries in the region,” the State Department said in a statement.

“Russia is not a reliable and bona fide ally or partner in the South Caucasus or anywhere else. We have seen repeatedly that Russia is not concerned about Armenia’s interests,” the State Department added.

The Kremlin said on Friday that it wants clarifications from Pashinyan about the decision to “freeze” its membership in CSTO.

Pashinyan made the announcement a few days after meeting with President Emmanuel Macron of France, who pledged his country’s continues support to Armenia’s defense sector. A day after that meeting, France’s defense minister Sebastien Lecornu visited Yerevan and signed several more agreements with his Armenian counterpart. Reports also indicated that a new shipment of military equipment from France arrived in Armenia on the same of Lecornu’s visit.

The strengthening of Armenia’s relations with the West has angered not only Moscow, but also Baku.

The Russian foreign ministry has warned Yerevan about its ongoing rapprochement with the EU and the West, saying earlier this month that history has shown that no good comes of such alliances.