Problems and Limitations in the Activities of the CSTO

Abstract

The article examines the key problems and limitations in the activities of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) from its institutionalization in 2002 to the present day. It analyzes political, military, legal, and institutional factors that hinder the transformation of the CSTO into an effective collective security mechanism. Particular attention is paid to the divergence of national interests among member states, the consensus-based decision-making process, and the dominant role of Russia within the organization. Based on an assessment of the CSTO’s practical responses to regional crises, the article highlights a significant gap between declared collective defense commitments and their actual implementation. This gap is illustrated through the cases of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and border clashes between CSTO member states. The study also identifies legal ambiguities in the organization’s normative framework and a persistent lack of political will. The author concludes that without internal reforms and a reassessment of allied obligations, the CSTO risks remaining largely declarative rather than action-oriented.