St. petersburg: Russian President Vladimir Putin held a series of bilateral meetings with leaders from Tajikistan, Kazakhstan, and Armenia on the sidelines of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) informal summit in St. Petersburg.
According to Anadolu Agency, Putin first met with Tajik President Emomali Rahmon at the State Hermitage Museum, where he extended condolences over the tragic death of a Tajik boy in a terrorist attack. Putin emphasized the gravity of crimes against children and assured that the perpetrators would face justice. He noted the cooperation between Russian and Tajik law enforcement agencies and pledged ongoing communication with Dushanbe regarding the investigation. In response, Rahmon expressed gratitude for Putin's sympathy and affirmed that Tajikistan is conducting a comprehensive investigation to ensure accountability.
In another meeting, Putin and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan discussed the positive trajectory of their bilateral relations. Putin highlighted a significant trade turnover, exceeding $11 billion in 2024 and reaching $4.5 billion in the first nine months of the current year. The discussions included energy cooperation, particularly in nuclear power and logistics projects. Pashinyan acknowledged the new opportunities arising from recent regional developments and appreciated Russia's support in the peace process between Armenia and Azerbaijan. He also described the resumption of rail freight between Russia and Armenia via Azerbaijani territory as a historic milestone, with ongoing talks to further enhance transport projects.
Putin's dialogue with Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev focused on the positive development of bilateral relations. Putin noted the absence of serious contentious issues but acknowledged the need to address practical questions. Tokayev regarded the strategic partnership and alliance with Russia as a top priority for Kazakhstan, emphasizing the importance of closer coordination for mutual benefit.
These bilateral discussions followed informal talks among CIS leaders and sessions of the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council, where topics such as regional cooperation, economic integration, and security were on the agenda. Earlier, during the broader informal meeting of CIS member countries, Putin highlighted the substantial trade figures between Russia and the Commonwealth, reaching nearly $90 billion in the first 10 months of the year. He discussed the creation of new production and transport chains and the modernization of transcontinental logistics corridors. Putin emphasized the cooperative efforts in combating terrorism, extremism, organized crime, drug trafficking, and corruption within the bloc. He also stressed the importance of a just world order grounded in international law principles with the UN at its core.
Established in 1991 after the Soviet Union's dissolution, the CIS aims to foster cooperation in economic, political, and security domains. Its full members include Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan, with Turkmenistan as an associate member. Moldova suspended its CIS participation in 2022. Notably, Azerbaijan's presidential administration reported that President Ilham Aliyev was unable to attend the summit due to a busy work schedule.