Escalation on Ukrainian-Belarusian border and Armenia's choice: CSTO statements

SAINT-PETERSBURG, June 24. /TASS/. The Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) hears the latest statements from the Kiev regime regarding Minsk, and the situation on the Ukrainian-Belarusian border is beginning to escalate, Chairman of the CSTO's Permanent Council Viktor Vasilyev told the St. Petersburg International Legal Forum.

He said that Armenia's membership in the CSTO will be thoroughly discussed.

TASS has compiled Vasilyev's key statements.

On escalating situation between Belarus and Ukraine

The CSTO hears the "latest statements from the Kiev regime regarding Belarus."

The situation on the Ukrainian-Belarusian border is heating up: "The situation on the Ukrainian-Belarusian border is beginning to escalate, and Ukrainian drones are flying over Russian territory daily."

Armenia's CSTO membership

The CSTO will scrutinize Armenia's future membership: "Naturally, the issue of Armenia's continued membership in the CSTO will also be carefully considered and discussed by the top leadership."

The situation in the South Caucasus

The unfriendly military and political steps taken by Western countries around Armenia could trigger further escalation in the region: "The situation in the South Caucasus, including the elections in Armenia, should be discussed separately. The US plans to ensure the alleged security of the Zangezur corridor, the EU countries' intentions to include Armenia in their military structures, and other unfriendly steps in the region could lead to further escalation in the future."

The CSTO is "monitoring the situation."

NATO maneuvers

The CSTO is monitoring how NATO forces are amassing on the western borders of its area of responsibility and watches the alliance's military maneuvers closely: "We are witnessing an active buildup of NATO forces on the western borders, particularly in the Baltic states. I am not addressing the topic of the special military operation or the maneuvers conducted by NATO countries on the borders, but it is naturally a subject of our close monitoring."

Safety

"In the CSTO's Central Asian area of responsibility, Afghanistan remains the main challenge. Despite Russia's and several Central Asian countries' efforts to establish contacts with the current authorities in Kabul, the security situation remains complicated."

The CSTO countries intend to intensify their efforts to neutralize the militants on Afghanistan's northern border, who pose a threat to Tajikistan's security: "We plan to increase our joint efforts here, including to neutralize the militants and extremist groups that continue to accumulate on Afghanistan's northern borders."

"The shelling of Tajikistan's territory by Afghanistan is of particular concern.".