Russian President Vladimir Putin is set to attend the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) summit in Minsk on Thursday. Joining him will be Presidents Kassym-Jomart Tokayev of Kazakhstan, Sadyr Zhaparov of Kyrgyzstan, and Emomali Rahmon of Tajikistan. The summit, hosted by Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, who currently chairs the CSTO, will not include Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan.
The Kremlin press service stated that the agenda for the CSTO Council session will cover "issues of interaction between CSTO members, including further improvement of the collective security system, as well as topical international and regional problems." The organization's objectives include "strengthening peace, international and regional security and stability, protection of the independence, territorial integrity, and sovereignty of member states on a collective basis."
In anticipation of the CSTO summit, President Putin engaged in discussions on security matters with Tajikistan's President Rahmon, who recently visited Moscow. During the meeting, Putin mentioned that Russia had supplied Tajikistan with two divisions (eight launchers) of S-300 complexes. He expressed Russia's readiness to finalize supplies for the unified air defense system of CSTO member states and urged the resolution of technical issues by year-end.
Preceding the summit, a joint meeting of foreign ministers, defense ministers, and secretaries of security councils from CSTO member countries convened in Minsk to address changes in the military and political landscape in the region. The Russian Foreign Ministry emphasized that in challenging geopolitical conditions, the CSTO is strengthening its role as "the core mechanism for ensuring security and stability not only in its area of responsibility but also in the vast Eurasian space." The organization is currently bolstering its force potential, showcasing its "ability to adequately respond to any external threats."
Simultaneously, the ministry underscored that the CSTO is exclusively defensive, and collaboration within its framework does not pose a threat to other states. Member states of the organization advocate conflict resolution through political and diplomatic means, emphasizing united efforts of the international community against terrorism, extremism, drug trafficking, illegal migration, and transborder crime.
CSTO representatives have frequently highlighted the ongoing buildup of military groups and infrastructure by Western countries near the borders of Russia and Belarus. They noted that risks of further escalation are increasing in light of NATO's policy concerning the Ukrainian conflict. Tensions persist in the Caucasus region, where Armenia has yet to finalize a peace agreement with Azerbaijan and resolve all territorial disputes. Colonel General Anatoly Sidorov, the CSTO Chief of Staff, assured that CSTO leaders would take all necessary measures to stabilize the situation in the Caucasus region, encompassing both Armenia and neighboring states. The threat of instability spreading from Afghanistan remains pertinent for Central Asian countries.
GSV "Russia - Islamic World"
Photo: official website of the President of the Russian Federation
Based on materials from TASS