Russia's Foreign Ministry on Armenia Leaving the CIS

Moscow does not see signs of fragmentation within the CIS. This was stated by Alexander Pankin, the Deputy Foreign Minister of Russia, in an interview with RIA Novosti, responding to a question about whether Armenia could follow Moldova's example and consider leaving the CIS.

Armenia is an important partner of Russia in the CIS and is a concerned participant in the Cooperation, the diplomat noted. “At a certain stage, a decrease in Armenia's activity within the CIS platform was indeed observed, but overall, the results of the year can be considered positive; the Armenian side joined the decisions of the organization’s summit held in Bishkek in October regarding the vast majority of issues. On the 13th of 2023, it supported almost all joint statements adopted by the statutory bodies of the Cooperation last year,” said Pankin.

“We do not see any signs of 'fragmentation' in the organization; on the contrary, despite the complex geopolitical situation, cooperation within the CIS continues to develop in all directions,” the diplomat highlighted. The mechanisms present within the CIS framework, which allow countries to independently determine their level of engagement in the organization's affairs, create conditions for further deepening cooperation, he emphasized.

Earlier, Doina German, the head of the parliamentary commission on foreign policy and European integration of Moldova, announced that the republic would definitively withdraw from the CIS by the end of 2024.