On December 25, an informal meeting of the leaders of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) countries took place at the Igora ski resort in the Leningrad oblast.  

The Russian president’s press service says Attending the summit were Vladimir Putin, President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko, President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, President of Kyrgyzstan Sadyr Japarov, President of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon, President of Turkmenistan Serdar Berdimuhamedov and President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev.

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan reportedly announced that he would not be able to attend the summit due to contracting COVID-19.

Meanwhile, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev interrupted his visit to Russia because of an air crash in Aktau, Kazakhstan.

In a statement delivered at the meeting, Russian President Vladimir Putin .reportedly noted that over the past year, Russia focused its efforts as part of its CIS chairmanship on promoting Eurasian integration, consolidating the international standing of the CIS, as well as enabling its executive bodies to be effective in their work.

“We made forging deeper economic ties our priority, while also seeking to ensure the free movement of goods, services, as well as remove trade barriers and streamline customs clearance procedures,” Putin said, according to the Kremlin.

He noted that Russia’s trade with CIS member nations increased by 10.6 percent over the first ten months and slightly exceeded US$93 billion.  

According to him, the aggregate GDP for the CIS is expected to increase by 4.7 percent in 2024, which places the CIS above the global average.  Industrial output reportedly increased by 4.3 percent in the first ten months.  Cargo shipments were up by 7.4 percent, while retail trade reportedly surged by 7.7 percent.

“CIS countries have expanded their cooperation in the foreign exchange and financial sectors by becoming increasingly proactive in using their own independent foreign exchange transaction frameworks, payment systems and settlement tools. In fact, national currencies accounted for over 85 percent of commercial transactions within the CIS,” said Putin.  “In addition to this, import substitution is gaining momentum, helping our countries reinforce their technological sovereignty. All this is instrumental in the current international landscape with its challenges.”

Putin reminded attendees that, starting January 1, Russia would transfer the CIS chairmanship to Tajikistan and expressed readiness to provide “all necessary support.”

The Tajik president’s official website says Emomali Rahmon thanked Vladimir Putin for the invitation and the traditional hospitality.  He also congratulated all the participants on the upcoming New Year, according to his press service.  Rahmon reportedly expressed confidence that Tajikistan's chairmanship in the CIS, within the framework of the proposed concept and action plan, would be productive with the support of other CIS member states.

In his address, Rahmon emphasized the priorities of Tajikistan's chairmanship in the Commonwealth.

One of the main priorities will be initiating discussions on improving the organization's activities.  Efforts to promote the positive image of the CIS on the global stage as a regional association will continue. Significant attention during Tajikistan's chairmanship will be devoted to economic, environmental, cultural, and humanitarian agendas, as well as to commemorating the 80th anniversary of the Victory in the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945.

It is worth noting that informal meetings of CIS leaders are held annually at the end of December in Saint Petersburg.