Armenian PM rejects external guarantors for peace with Azerbaijan

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan stated on Saturday that Yerevan does not require external guarantors to secure peace with Azerbaijan, according to the state news agency Armenpress. The premier dismissed calls by opposition political forces to seek third-party security guarantees, arguing that past reliance on such alliances had proved unreliable during recent conflicts.

CSTO 'guarantors' criticized

Pashinyan specifically criticized the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) and its member Belarus, noting that Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko had publicly acknowledged participating in preparations for the 44-day war while on an official visit to Baku. "One of those security guarantors made a very open statement," Pashinyan said, referring to Lukashenko's admission that he assisted in planning military operations against Armenia in 2020.

The prime minister said Armenia could not continue "stepping on the same rake every time" by depending on partners who "use us against others and then discard us." He described overcoming this cycle as a fundamental historical and political shift for Armenia, emphasizing that true security requires bilateral agreements with Baku rather than multilateral guarantees that compromise Yerevan's autonomy.

Karabakh conflict background

Relations between the former Soviet republics have remained strained since the Armenian military occupied Karabakh in 1991, a situation that persisted until Azerbaijan liberated most of the territory during the 44-day war in fall 2020. Baku established full sovereignty over the region in September 2023 after separatist forces surrendered. Last August, both nations signed a declaration at the White House alongside US President Donald Trump committing to cease hostilities and reopen transport routes.