The State Duma told about the agenda of the summit of CIS leaders and the EAEU meeting

The informal summit of CIS leaders and the meeting of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) in St. Petersburg have serious political weight; these meetings will raise questions about settlements in national currency, food security, protection of sovereignty and others. Artur Taymazov, a member of the State Duma Committee on CIS Affairs, Eurasian Integration and Relations with Compatriots, told Izvestia on December 19.

"This is not just an exchange of opinions, but strategic steps aimed at solving key problems of the region and harmonizing common positions in the face of external pressure. At stake is not only economic stability, but also political stability of the participating countries," he said.

Thus, the politician noted, one of the main tasks at the meeting will be to agree on the mechanisms of transition to settlements in national currencies. Against the background of geopolitical confrontation and sanctions pressure, the need for financial independence of the region has become obvious, he emphasized. According to Taymazov, the countries will continue to refine the roadmap that will accelerate the abandonment of the dollar in bilateral and multilateral settlements. It is not only about protection from sanctions, but also about the formation of a common financial platform that will allow mutual settlements without intermediaries, he explained.

"The problem of food security will also be on the agenda. The participants plan to discuss the creation of regional food reserves and mechanisms for emergency assistance in case of disruptions. Russia's proposal to the CIS countries to expand exports of agro-technologies and imports of seeds, which will help reduce dependence on Western suppliers, is being actively discussed," Taimazov added.

In addition, he said, another sensitive topic is the protection of sovereignty of the CIS countries not only in matters of political provocations, but also in the context of information warfare and cyber attacks. The deputy said that Russia has developed a solid practice of repelling such threats in recent years and is ready to share its experience.

Among other things, the participants of the meetings will discuss the development of the electricity market and energy security.

"The CIS and EAEU leaders are meeting under unprecedented external pressure, but this seems to only strengthen their readiness for joint action. One main idea is heard during the discussions: it is time to form our own agenda, where the region will act as a single player," the politician concluded.

Before that, on December 17, Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin called the provision of the common market of the EAEU with key goods and resources one of the five main areas of work of the organization. Also, according to him, the members of the alliance should strive to form a common space of cooperation and cooperation in the field of technological development.

Earlier, on October 1, Mishustin said that Russia is ready to share the experience of digital transformation with EAEU partners. In Armenia, he spoke at the plenary session of the third Eurasian Economic Forum and took part in the meeting of the EAEU Intergovernmental Council.

At the same time, he stressed that the Union State is the locomotive of integration within the EAEU, because Moscow and Minsk are working on the EAEU proposals to strengthen the free promotion of goods, services and labor force precisely in a joint format.