Informal meeting of CIS leaders

Belarus President Aleksandr Lukashenko took part in an informal meeting of the leaders of the CIS states.

Konstantinovsky Palace in the Strelna area in St. Petersburg has been chosen for the meeting. At present it is the state complex National Congress Palace. The redecorated and restored palace is now used to host high-level events and state receptions. But the palace is also open to public tours.

“Every time we gather at the end of the year in private. It is already an established good tradition. Such meetings represent a very good opportunity for jointly summing up results of the work of the Commonwealth of Independent States, talk about future plans, and, naturally, discuss the items on the international agenda that worry us,” President of Russia Vladimir Putin said at the beginning of the meeting as the host of the informal summit.

In his words, the year 2023 has been exceptionally active and intensive for the Commonwealth of Independent States. It was full of major events and bright initiatives. Kyrgyzstan, which presided over the Commonwealth of Independent States in this period, contributed heavily to it.

Russia will take over the presidency in the Commonwealth of Independent States as from 1 January 2024. “We intend to continue multifaceted integration activities in the spirit of continuity,” Vladimir Putin stated.

Belarus President Aleksandr Lukashenko had met with Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev and had received a report from Ambassador of Belarus to Russia Dmitry Krutoi in St. Petersburg earlier today.