An informal meeting of the heads of state of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) took place in the Alexander Hall of the Winter Palace on December 22. The summit was opened by Russian President Vladimir Putin and attended by President of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon, according to Interfax.
The gathering began with a guided tour of the State Hermitage Museum, led by its director, Mikhail Piotrovsky. Following the cultural program, the leaders continued informal talks over breakfast and attended a concert, according to Interfax.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stated on December 21 that President Putin would also hold individual meetings with each of the attending CIS leaders.
President Rahmon arrived in St. Petersburg on December 21 on a working visit, accompanied by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, the President’s foreign affairs advisor, and other senior officials.
In addition to Rahmon, the meeting was attended by the leaders of Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan.
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev was absent due to a tight work schedule, according to his press office.
Informal CIS summits have become a tradition, typically held at the end of December in St. Petersburg. At last year’s meeting, President Rahmon outlined Tajikistan’s priorities during its CIS chairmanship, focusing on institutional development, boosting the organization's international image, and advancing the economic, environmental, and humanitarian agenda.
The CIS was established in 1991 following the dissolution of the Soviet Union to promote cooperation in economic, political, and security affairs.
Its full members are Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan, while Turkmenistan holds associate membership. Moldova suspended its participation in CIS meetings in 2022.
