Azerbaijan President to Miss Informal CIS Summit in Russia
Summit Attendance Update
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev will not attend the informal summit of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), according to Azerbaijani state media. The meeting is scheduled to take place later on Monday in St. Petersburg, Russia.
Reason for Absence
The presidential administration told state news agency Azertac that Aliyev will miss the summit due to a busy work schedule. Officials said prior commitments prevent him from traveling to Russia for the event.
Context of Recent Meetings
In addition, the administration noted that Aliyev did not take part in a meeting of Eurasian Economic Union leaders in St. Petersburg a day earlier. Azerbaijan is not a member of the economic bloc, which was formed in 2015.
Azerbaijan’s Position on CIS Cooperation
Despite the absence, officials stressed that Azerbaijan regularly attends official CIS summits. They also emphasized that the country places strong importance on cooperation within the regional organization.
Separate Meetings Expected
Meanwhile, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Russian President Vladimir Putin is expected to hold separate meetings with Aliyev and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan on the sidelines of the event.
About the CIS
The CIS was formed in 1991 after the collapse of the Soviet Union to encourage cooperation in economic, political, and security matters. Its full members include Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. Turkmenistan holds associate membership, while Moldova suspended its participation in CIS meetings in 2022.