Moscow: Russian President Vladimir Putin engaged in telephone discussions with leaders from the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) to deliberate on bilateral relations and the upcoming summit in Dushanbe, the capital of Tajikistan, as confirmed by the Kremlin.

According to Anadolu Agency, the Kremlin press service stated that these conversations focused on enhancing bilateral relations and preparing for collaborative efforts at the CIS Council of Heads of State meeting in Dushanbe. The leaders also took the opportunity to extend birthday wishes to Putin during these exchanges.

The CIS Heads of State summit, alongside the Foreign Ministers' meeting, is scheduled to take place on October 9 and 10 in Dushanbe. During these events, Putin and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov will visit Tajikistan to engage in discussions with their counterparts in a series of meetings.

Presidential aide Yuri Ushakov indicated that the introduction of a new 'CIS Plus' format is slated for discussion at the Dushanbe summit. Additionally, Putin plans to meet with Tajik President Emomali Rahmon to formalize a joint statement aimed at strengthening bilateral relations. Ushakov also mentioned potential bilateral meetings, including one with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev. Following the summit, Putin will address members of the press.

The CIS, established post the Soviet Union's dissolution, comprises several former Soviet republics with the objective of fostering economic, political, and security cooperation.