Russian President Vladimir Putin is set to travel to St. Petersburg for a series of meetings with the leaders of CIS countries. The multilateral talks are scheduled for December 25 and 26, with a key meeting on December 24 with Tajik President Emomali Rahmon.
During their bilateral talks, the two leaders are expected to discuss key areas of cooperation, including political, trade-economic, military-technical, and cultural-humanitarian issues. Special attention will be given to regional challenges, particularly the situation in Afghanistan.
As announced by President Putin's aide, Yuri Ushakov, discussions will also cover pressing migration issues. The leaders will address collaboration within the CIS, where Russia holds the chairmanship in 2024, which will pass to Tajikistan in 2025.
Putin and Rahmon last met in November at the Collective Security Treaty Organization summit in Astana. They frequently engage in one-on-one meetings and on multilateral platforms, and they maintain regular phone contacts.
Russia-Tajikistan Trade and Cooperation
Russia is Tajikistan's leading trade partner. Between January and September 2024, bilateral trade increased by 10.1%, reaching $1.08 billion. Russia ranks second, behind China, in terms of investments in Tajikistan's economy, with $1.6 billion in capital. Russia also meets around 90% of Tajikistan's petroleum product needs. Furthermore, more than 36,000 Tajik students and postgraduates study at Russian universities.
Upcoming CIS Summit and EAEU Meeting
The heads of CIS states will gather on December 25 for an informal pre-New Year summit, a long-standing tradition. Putin is expected to review Russia's chairmanship in the CIS for 2024, after which leaders will have an informal exchange on current international issues.
On December 26, the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) summit will take place, with participation from the union's members, as well as observer states Uzbekistan and Cuba (Cuba will participate via a video address). The summit will focus on the EAEU's operations and further integration, with a likely decision to grant Iran observer status within the union.
All events will be held near St. Petersburg, at the "Igora" resort complex in Leningrad Region.
EAEU and CIS Members
The EAEU comprises Russia, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan—all of which are also members of the CIS. Currently, the CIS has 11 member states: Azerbaijan, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and Ukraine. However, as Putin has noted, Moldova and Ukraine are effectively nominal members, as they are not actively involved in the organization’s work.
GSV "Russia - Islamic World"
Photo: official website of the President of the Russian Federation
Based on materials from TASS