Putin had several reasons to personally participate in the CSTO summit, convened at the initiative of Armenian Prime Minister Pashinyan. First, he goes to a place where he is not mentally and physically dangerous. He did not go to Bali, because there he would have been met with severe obstruction, but he went to the CSTO, where, perhaps, not everyone is pleasant in communication, but there should not be such an obstruction as at the G20. The second reason is the political aspect, because it was necessary to save the CSTO from disintegration and erosion. In online mode, without making eye contact and holding partners by the button on their frock coat, it is difficult.
After the September military action of Azerbaijan on September 13-14, Armenia launched a massive campaign around the world to condemn it. Since Armenia chaired the CSTO this year, it turned to the organization for support, but the only reaction to this was the creation of a monitoring mission that issued some recommendations. In essence, the CSTO limited itself to this step in its response to Armenia's request for help. Therefore, using the right of chairmanship, Armenia convened a summit, the topic of which was almost exclusively the Armenian-Azerbaijani problem.
The only reaction to the military action of Azerbaijan was the creation of a monitoring mission
The reaction of the surrounding world to the campaign of Armenia was different. The main sympathizers of Armenia are France and the United States, where the most significant Armenian diasporas are concentrated, which are most activated on the eve of the elections. Politicians want to enlist the support of the Armenian diaspora, because it is quite influential. Recently, even the French Senate adopted a resolution in support of Nagorno-Karabakh. Yes, Azerbaijan also has supporters and lobbyists, but the general mood and attitude towards this conflict depends on which side the public mood is on.
It is known that Azerbaijan is in very friendly relations with Ukraine, and many consider this conflict as a projection of the Russian operation in Ukraine. If you support Ukraine, then you sympathize with Azerbaijan, and if you look at Armenia as an ally of Russia, then your sympathies depend on whether you support Russia. For the most part, people perceive this situation as secondary and are guided by the main trigger of world tensions.
Many view the Karabakh conflict as a projection of the Russian operation in Ukraine
As for the CSTO summit, Pashinyan himself described it best, calling the ongoing fiasco. The harsh wording is due to the fact that the CSTO has not been able to politically qualify Azerbaijan's actions as aggression, as an attempt to annex part of the territory. There is nothing of the kind in the documents of the summit, even in Putin's rhetoric, which largely determines the legal documents, so the Armenians consider themselves humiliated and insulted. Armenia is a full member of the CSTO and expected a more loyal and sympathetic attitude towards itself.
On the other hand, Armenia can now afford to throw at the CSTO, making it responsible for the failures, but this is not the main thing. The CSTO does not reach a consensus on the political qualification of Azerbaijan's actions against Armenia because if you call it aggression or an attempt at annexation, then the contractual and statutory provisions of the organization will come into effect, which will have to intervene and protect Armenia.
