CSTO reveals agenda of upcoming Astana summit

The topic of Russia's escalating relations with the West may be on the agenda of the upcoming summit of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) in Astana. During the joint meeting of the Council of Foreign Ministers, the Council of Defense Ministers, the Committee of Secretaries of Security Councils, and then the session of the CSTO Collective Security Council, the situation in the organization's area of responsibility and in a number of regions adjacent to it will be "thoroughly discussed," Natalia Kharitonova, spokeswoman for the CSTO secretariat, told Izvestia.

"Given the circumstances, I expect the sides to touch upon the latest developments in the Eastern European region of collective security, namely the topic of Russia's escalating relations with the West. Other key issues include the approval by the heads of state of the CSTO target interstate program on strengthening the Tajik-Afghan border and joint celebration of the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Great Patriotic War," she said.

According to Russian presidential aide Yuri Ushakov, the leaders will discuss, among other tasks, "the formation of a new architecture of equal and indivisible security in Eurasia."

In addition to Russian President Vladimir Putin and Kazakh President Kasym-Jomart Tokayev, the summit will be attended by Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, Kyrgyz leader Sadyr Zhaparov and Tajik leader Emomali Rakhmon, as well as CSTO Secretary General Imangali Tasmagambetov. Armenia will not take part in the summit.

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