Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived in Tajikistan on Wednesday to attend meetings with leaders of other former Soviet republics, with discussions expected to centre on regional development and Moscow’s relations with its Central Asian partners.
According to a Kremlin statement, Putin will on Thursday participate in a Russia–Central Asia summit alongside the leaders of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. They will later be joined by the presidents of Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Belarus for a broader meeting of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS).
Putin, who has limited his foreign travel since the International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant against him over the deportation of Ukrainian children, has in recent months increased diplomatic engagement with Russia’s Asian neighbours. These include a “no limits” partnership with China and growing cooperation with North Korea, whose troops Moscow says have joined the fighting in Ukraine.
The Kremlin leader’s visit to Tajikistan is aimed at strengthening ties with Central Asian nations and addressing security concerns in a region often troubled by border tensions and internal rivalries.
Following the 1991 collapse of the Soviet Union, Tajikistan was engulfed in a five-year civil war that claimed tens of thousands of lives. Russia continues to maintain a military presence in the country.
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Russia’s Defence Ministry said on Wednesday that Defence Minister Andrei Belousov held talks in Dushanbe with his Tajik counterpart, Emomali Sobirzoda, on military cooperation. “A lot today depends on cooperation between our two military institutions most importantly, stability in Central Asia,” Belousov was quoted as saying. “The current situation remains very difficult.”
Putin was also scheduled to meet Tajik President Emomali Rahmon, who has been in power since 1992 and is the longest-serving leader among post-Soviet states. At the last Russia–Central Asia summit in 2022, Rahmon publicly criticised Putin for not showing sufficient respect to regional countries.
The talks are also expected to address the situation of millions of Central Asian migrant workers in Russia, whose remittances remain vital to their home economies.
Putin is further due to meet Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev amid recent strains between Moscow and Baku.
