Lukashenko commented on Armenia's absence at the CSTO summit

The absence of Armenian representatives at the meeting of the Security Council of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) countries in Astana characterizes the current geopolitical situation in the region. This was stated by Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko on Thursday, November 28.

"Today I have the honor to speak first, as our Armenian colleagues are not participating in the meeting. This, by the way, characterizes the current geopolitical situation in the region," BelTA agency reports Lukashenko's words.

Earlier, November 25, press secretary of the ministry Ani Badalyan said that Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan would not participate in the joint session of the CSTO Security Council in Astana.

Before that, on November 13, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov discussed with CSTO Secretary General Imangali Tasmagambetov, as well as ambassadors and permanent representatives of the organization key issues of development of multifaceted cooperation within the framework of the organization on the eve of the meeting of the CSTO Council of Foreign Ministers.

The Collective Security Treaty Organization is a military-political union created by the CIS states to stabilize the situation in partner countries. Six states are members of the CSTO: Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Armenia and Tajikistan.