While Ukraine continues to try to tip the balance towards one or NATO, favorable to its defense interests over Russia, the State led by Vladimir Putin also has clear support on the world scene. Of a smaller group of countries, one of its forces is in a political-military group known as the (OTSC, or CSTO for its acronym in English).
In times of the Cold War, the United States commanded the Atlantic Alliance while the USSR had its allies through the Warsaw Pact. A last agreement that integrated several countries close to Soviet ideologies that, however, dissolved in 1991 as the end of communism came and the opening of a new Russian Federation.
But eager to still maintain political and military relations with some of them, just a year after the end of the Warsaw Pact, Russia promoted what is now known as the CSTO. Together with five other countries (Armenia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan) the Tashkent Pact was made official (for the capital of Uzbekistan where it was signed).
An agreement to keep those Soviet relations alive and to be able to carry out common policies which a year later were joined by Belarus, Azerbaijan and Georgia, although the latter two -along with Uzbekistan- decided not to renew their pacts in 1997. Finally, in 2002 what is now the CSTO was finalized.
What is CSTO?
With the same goals as those first post-Soviet relations, the CSTO seeks peace and security among its member States, as well as maintaining certain policies of common interests. An organization, which has even tried to create bridges without positive responses from the Atlantic Alliance.
Also with a defense character on a Member State, in case of an attack against it, it is stipulated that its forces will be mobilized, something that some countries such as Belarus have already done in favor of Russia. In addition, the CSTO has intervened in conflicts in favor of its interests, such as in Syria (2018-2021), against Islamist guerrillas, and in Kazakhstan (January 2022).
What countries make up the CSTO?
In addition to Russia, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan, as founding countries, Afghanistan and Serbia serve as observer states. For its part, over the years there have been relations to introduce Iran to the organization, while Russia has always been in favor of an approach to Iran.
CSTO leaders during a face-to-face meeting. Photo: Alamy.
Presided over by the Belarusian Stanislav Zas, and based in Moscow, all of them form the great allies of Russia in this conflict against Ukraine and its interests to remain an independent State, as well as China, Cuba and Venezuela have always shown close ties to the Putin’s interests being strong candidates for his interests in the event of a world conflict.
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