On 22 December 2025, in St. Petersburg, leaders from member countries of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) gathered for their traditional informal pre-New Year summit.
Participants included: Russian President Vladimir Putin, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov, Tajik President Emomali Rahmon, Turkmen President Serdar Berdimuhamedov, and Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev.
The heads of the CIS member states visited the State Hermitage Museum, where an informal meeting took place in the Georgievsky Hall.
In his remarks, Vladimir Putin summarized the CIS’s achievements over the year, highlighting the successful expansion of multifaceted cooperation among the countries. “This is evidenced by the substantial trade volume between Russia and CIS participants, which reached nearly $90 billion in the first ten months of this year,” he stated.
As noted, collaboration among CIS nations is growing in the currency and financial sectors to support mutual economic operations. According to the Russian President, the share of national currencies in commercial settlements between CIS countries now exceeds 96%.
Industrial and infrastructure projects are advancing, including logistics corridors such as “North-South” and “East-West,” along with efforts in import substitution and technological independence. Cooperation is deepening in areas like science, technology, digitalization, and innovation.
Putin expressed gratitude to Tajikistan and President Emomali Rahmon for country’s chairmanship of the CIS in 2025.
He also wished success to President Serdar Berdimuhamedov, as Turkmenistan assumes the rotating chairmanship of the CIS starting 1 January. “We are ready to provide all necessary support,” Putin said.
The Russian leader expressed confidence that strengthening partnerships within the CIS across various fields aligns with the fundamental interests of the peoples of these nations. “We will continue to work together on addressing tasks related to socio-economic development, enhancing stability, and ensuring our shared security,” he emphasized.
On the sidelines of the informal summit, a ceremony was held on 21 December at the St. Petersburg State Conservatory named after N.A. Rimsky-Korsakov, where the presidents of Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and Kyrgyzstan were awarded the International Peace Prize named after Leo Tolstoy.
The leaders of these three countries received the honor for their contributions to strengthening peace and security in the Central Asian region. The jury’s decision to grant the prize was based on the fact that in 2025, the heads of these states signed the Treaty on the Junction Point of State Borders and the Khujand Declaration on Eternal Friendship, thereby making a significant contribution to ensuring comprehensive and equal security, as well as fostering mutual understanding and cooperation among their peoples.
In honor of the distinguished guests, an informal lunch was hosted on behalf of the Russian President, followed by a concert.
Upon completion of the working visit program to the Russian Federation, President Serdar Berdimuhamedov returned to Ashgabat.///nCa, 23 December 2025