Putin: Russia and Belarus Are Reliably Protected Within the CSTO

On December 19, during a live broadcast combined with a press conference, Russian President Vladimir Putin stated that Russia and Belarus resolve security issues both bilaterally and within the CSTO. 

Vladimir Putin stressed that Moscow seeks to resolve all disputes peacefully and thanked Aleksandr Lukashenko for his high assessment of the cooperation between Moscow and Minsk.

"We conduct regular exercises and have a group of troops in place. <…> The security of the Union State is in the capable hands of our military and will be ensured," Vladimir Putin emphasized.

As you may recall, on January 1 the chairmanship of the CSTO will pass to the Russian Federation. According to the Russian leader, it will have the following motto: "Collective security in a multipolar world: a common goal, a shared responsibility."