BISHKEK (Sputnik) — Russian President Vladimir Putin said Tuesday that Russia’s cooperation with Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan ensures economic development in these countries.
"Russia holds the top spot in terms of turnover level in these [three] countries. Despite all of today’s difficulties, Russia keeps this position," Putin said after negotiations with his Kyrgyz counterpart Almazbek Atambayev in Bishkek.
He also characterized Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan as Russia’s strategic allies.
Putin noted that the economic and industrial manufacturing growth in these countries was the best evidence of the Eurasian Economic Union's (EAEU) effectiveness.
Putin noted, that as Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan were the members of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), the joint activities with Russia would be coordinated on this platform.
Russia, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan, along with Armenia and Belarus, are members of the EAEU. This economic treaty, which came into force on January 1, 2015, allows for the freedom of movements of goods, capital, services and people, and establishes common regulations in various spheres. Tajikistan aims at becoming an EAEU member in order to share membership of both the Eurasian Customs Union and the Single Economic Space with the above-mentioned countries.
Established on May 15, 1992, the CSTO is a military alliance signed by Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.
