Putin hosts the leaders from the Commonwealth of Independent States in Russia

Asia-Pacific, Europe, News December 28, 2022 , by IRIA No Comments

Leaders from the nine Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) arrived in the Russian city of St. Petersburg to participate in the two-day long informal summit scheduled for December 26-27, 2022.

Russian President Vladimir Putin hosted the President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan, President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko, President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, President of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon, President of Turkmenistan Serdar Berdimuhamedov and President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev took part in the informal meeting in a two-day summit that is being dubbed an informal end-of-the-year meeting.

CIS Executive Committee Sergei Lebedev was also present during the meeting. He noted that such an informal summit will give additional impetus to cooperation both within the framework of the CIS mandate.

Russian President Putin stated that this sort of dialogue in a friendly circle demonstrates the members’ desire for further cooperation. Putin pointed out that Russia’s trade with CIS members might exceed $100 billion by the end of 2022. He also noted that deepening cooperation here serves the fundamental interests of CIS states and enhances security.

This year’s CIS gathering took place at the Boris Yeltsin Presidential Library on the afternoon of December 26. The library is in the center of St. Petersburg in the historical building of the Synod on Senate Square. Each of the CIS leaders was presented with an identical gold ring by Russian President Putin as the new year’s gift.

^{Russian President Vladimir Putin presented symbolic gold rings to the leaders of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) at an informal summit in St. Petersburg on December 26, 2022. (Image Credit: Moscowtimes)}

The last formal meeting between the CIS leaders took place in Kazakhstan in October this year. Kazakhstan currently holds the presidency for CIS which would come to an end by the end of this year.

During the informal meeting of CIS leaders in St. Petersburg, Kazakhstan President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said “More than 80 major events were held this year. Numerous initiatives have been implemented to expand economic cooperation, maintain close humanitarian ties, and strengthen the organization’s authority.”

The Kazakhstan president added that “Our joint efforts are reflected in the documents adopted following the Astana Summit in October. Particular attention throughout the year was paid to the implementation of the tasks of the CIS Economic Development Strategy until 2030.”

Several observers had been expecting a trilateral meeting between the leaders of Azerbaijan, Armenia, and Russia, however, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated no such meeting took place in St. Petersburg during the CIS summit.

Armenian Prime Minister met with the Russian President on the sideline of the summit to discuss the ongoing situation between Azerbaijan and questioned the role of Russian peacekeepers in Nagorno-Karabakh as he discussed a blockade of the breakaway region with President Vladimir Putin.