During a telephone conversation with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, the host of the summit, on November 14, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan announced that he will not go to the summit of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) to be held in Minsk on November 23. "Pashinyan informed that he will not be able to attend the meeting of the CSTO and expressed hope that the CSTO partners will take this decision with understanding," the report noted.

Belarus's president, Alexander Lukashenko, reacted to the refusal of Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan to participate in the CSTO summit in Minsk. According to Natallia Eismant, the Press Secretary of Belarusian President, Lukashenko addressed the invitation to come to the CSTO summit in the Belarusian capital to Pashinyan, as well as other leaders of the Organization's member states, by phone. "To the Russian President, for example, also during a recent phone conversation. He accepted the invitation," she noted. "The refusal of the Armenian Prime Minister to come to the summit was treated calmly by the President of Belarus. Realizing that this is the business of the head of any state," Eismant said. At the same time, she noted that the Belarusian leader advised Pashinyan not to make hasty steps. "Based on his experience and actions of some other well-known politicians in similar situations, the President suggested the Armenian Prime Minister not to hurry, not to make hasty decisions, but to seriously consider the next steps, which may be aimed at disintegration," she said.

The Kremlin also reacted to Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan's decision to refrain from participating in the upcoming Collective Security Treaty Organization summit. Russian Presidential Spokesman Dmitry Peskov commented on the situation. "If this is indeed the case, we can express regret. We understand that each head of government or head of state may have events in his work schedule and his circumstances. But we can only express regret because such meetings are a very good occasion to exchange views, to reconcile the clock," Peskov said.

Seyran Ohanyan, the former Defense Minister of Armenia, said that Armenia's refusal to take part in the events of the Collective Security Treaty Organization endangers the security of the republic. "In this situation, when threats are deepening, a complicated military-political situation has developed, non-participation in CSTO events puts the security of the Republic of Armenia under another threat. We are a member of this alliance. In many cases, the deterioration of relations also depended on the Armenian authorities," he said. According to Ohanyan, one should participate in the events of all structures where Armenia participates, and if there are problems with alliance members or neighbors, these issues should be raised at the venues where the events are held.

Armenian Security Council Secretary Armen Grigoryan noted that Armenia still expects the CSTO to provide an answer to a long list of questions. "In May 2021, when Azerbaijan invaded Armenia's sovereign territory, we asked for CSTO assistance. In September 2022, Azerbaijan again attacked Armenia and we again asked for CSTO assistance. We did not receive any assistance to protect our sovereign territory. Starting from that moment, we had many questions for the CSTO, and we still have no answers to these questions," he said. At the same time, Grigoryan said Armenia's refusal to participate in CSTO, events of which it is a member, was not a demarche against the Russian-led organization. "We have questions about CSTO’s behavior and we expect our colleagues to give answers to these questions," he said, explaining Armenia's non-participation. Asked why Armenia does not leave the CSTO, he said it is the best way to continue our policy. "Armenia's membership in the CSTO in no way constrains (us) in terms of building relations with others," the Security Council Secretary said, emphasizing that it is not Armenia that is leaving the CSTO, but the CSTO is leaving the region.