The Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) summit is set to take place today at the Igora resort in the Leningrad region, with Russian President Vladimir Putin participating.
Initially, all leaders of the EAEU's five member states were expected to meet in person. However, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan had to cancel his trip due to testing positive for COVID-19. The Kremlin stated that Pashinyan would still participate fully via video link as he is chairing the meeting. Later, Pashinyan confirmed a second positive test and indicated he would work under restrictions, though he did not clarify how this would impact his summit participation.
Agenda Highlights
According to Kremlin announcements, the summit will focus on deepening integration within the EAEU. Key topics include:
Removal of barriers and restrictions in the internal market.
Harmonization of financial legislation.
Liberalization of the unified market for services.
Development of a common market for gas, oil, and petroleum products.
Leaders will approve the main directions for the EAEU's international activities for 2025 and adopt the organization's budget. Among the significant outcomes is the anticipated decision to grant Iran observer status in the union.
With Armenia set to pass the EAEU chairmanship to Belarus on January 1, 2025, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko is expected to outline his priorities for the upcoming year.
Observers from Uzbekistan and Cuba have also been invited, with Cuban participation planned via a video message from its president. Following the summit, President Putin is expected to provide a summary of the outcomes for the press.
Context of Meetings
This summit comes amidst a series of international engagements hosted by Putin near St. Petersburg. On Tuesday, he held talks with Tajik President Emomali Rahmon, followed by an informal CIS summit on Wednesday. Discussions at the CIS meeting touched on pressing issues, including the recent plane crash near Aktau.
Regional Overview
The EAEU comprises five members: Russia, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan. All are also members of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS). While the CIS officially includes 11 countries, Putin has noted that Moldova and Ukraine are effectively nominal participants with minimal involvement in the organization's activities.
The EAEU summit concludes a long-standing tradition of informal pre-New Year gatherings of CIS leaders, typically held in or around St. Petersburg.
GSV "Russia - Islamic World"
Photo: official website of the President of the Russian Federation
Based on materials from TASS