The West is trying to strengthen its influence in the South Caucasus, stated the CSTO.

Officials linked to the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), including Sergei Shoigu, publicly accused NATO and Western countries of expanding military posture near CSTO borders and seeking greater influence in the South Caucasus. The statements frame Western activity as a security challenge to the CSTO and connect it to broader claims about European militarization and the war in Ukraine. The messaging matters because it signals the CSTO’s threat narrative and could shape regional security postures and diplomatic engagement in the South Caucasus.