Armenia may withdraw from the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) if it no longer requires its membership, Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov said, TASS reports.

"If Yerevan no longer needs to be a member of such an important organization for ensuring regional security to serve its national interests, then it is free to take the appropriate decision and leave this organization," Peskov said, commenting on Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s statement that Yerevan would be pleased if it were expelled from the CSTO.

"So far, we have heard statements at various levels from representatives of the Armenian side, who have said that yes, the membership has been frozen, but Armenia does not plan to withdraw at present. At least, these are the statements we have heard so far."

According to him, by submitting an application for EU membership, Armenia will face deep legislative contradictions in the EAEU, which will harm Yerevan itself.

“There is a very important aspect here, which our [i.e. Russia’s] representatives and, first of all, our head of state have also spoken about. After submitting an application [for EU membership], Armenia will have to begin the process of bringing its legislation in various areas domains—trade, phytosanitary, customs, etc.—into line with European norms, with the standards of the European Union. These norms do not coincide with the norms that are accepted at us [in Russia] and that are accepted in the EAEU expanse. And it is here that we will face deep contradictions, which will primarily harm Armenia itself,” the Kremlin spokesperson said.

And speaking about Armenia’s intention to join the EU, Peskov recalled the respective experience of Turkey and some other countries, as decades have passed since their EU membership applications were submitted.