The other Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) member countries respect Armenia’s position regarding its participation in this organization, as it is its choice, Russian President Vladimir Putin said, reports Interfax.

“Armenia’s position is known. As our Armenian colleagues tell us: ‘We support all decisions made by the CSTO, we consider ourselves CSTO members, but at this phase we refrain from participating in the Organization’s meetings,’” Putin said Thursday after his visit to Kyrgyzstan—and responding to Interfax’s question.

“Well, that is their [i.e. Armenia’s] choice. If they consider it possible to work this way for now, then fine, we agree,” the Russian president added.

Also, he noted that the other CSTO members are in contact with the Armenian party.

“We [i.e. Russia], as a state that currently leads the work within the framework of the CSTO, of course will be in constant contact with them as members of this organization, and, of course, we will develop and coordinate with them the decisions we prepare for each priority,” the Russian leader said.