CIS leaders to hold informal summit on strengthening cooperation in late December

An informal summit of the CIS leaders will take place in St. Petersburg at the end of December, CIS Secretary General Sergey Lebedev announced. The gathering is expected to follow the upcoming November 28 meeting of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) heads of state in Astana.

Photo: MFA Russia

Lebedev highlighted that the informal CIS summit, a traditional year-end event, will provide an opportunity for leaders to discuss ways to strengthen, improve, and expand their cooperation amidst current geopolitical challenges, including sanctions affecting many CIS countries.

Reflecting on the recent BRICS summit in Kazan, Lebedev noted the importance of bilateral talks held there, during which leaders shared new ideas and initiatives to boost cooperation within the CIS.

"In all discussions, the focus was on enhancing the effectiveness of our partnerships, which is particularly pressing today under the pressure of widespread sanctions," Lebedev said.