Moscow Says Closer Cooperation Between CSTO and EAEU Bodies Needed

Today, April 18, Moscow hosted parliamentary hearings On the Priorities of Russia’s 2023 Presidency in the EAEU. One of the discussed topics was the need for closer cooperation between the CSTO and the EAEU bodies.

“Given the CSTO’s role as a regional security organization in the Eurasian Economic Union, it is fair to emphasize that geographically and politically we are extremely close to the EAEU. After all, time has shown that to a large extent the CSTO fostered successful implementation of needed integration projects not only in the EAEU, but across the Greater Eurasia,” Sergei Pospelov, Executive Secretary of the CSTO Parliamentary Assembly, said in his speech.

Mr Pospelov stressed that the CSTO model acts aimed at counteracting challenges and threats to information and cyber security, combined forms of destructive impact on the socio-political and economic environment, ensuring digital sovereignty, protection of critical information infrastructure, safe use of the Internet, financial measures to combat money laundering and others are already relevant for the EAEU states today.

As you may recall, recommendations drafted by the State Duma Committee on CIS Affairs, Eurasian Integration and Relations with Compatriots stress the particular importance of developing cooperation between the Eurasian Economic Union and the Collective Security Treaty Organization.

For reference. Since January 1, 2023 Russia presides over the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) which united Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Russia in 2015. Priorities of Russia’s 2023 presidency in the EAEU were set by Vladimir Putin, President of Russia, at an expanded meeting of the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council (SEAEC) in Bishkek on December 9, 2022.