Including Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and an associate in Turkmenistan, the CIS is a Eurasian trade bloc that achieved about US$125 billion in multilateral trade in 2025, with an average GDP growth rate of approximately 4.7%. Key developments include new trade platforms (CIS Plus), focus on infrastructure like the CKU railway, and expansion of free trade agreements, especially for services, enhancing regional economic integration within Eurasia and beyond. Understand the CIS market for business. Get analysis on trade regulations, economic integration, and cross-border investment opportunities within this key post-Soviet economic zone.
The Belarus President Aleksander Lukashenko is on an Asian tour and has met with Chinese President Xi Jinping and proposed “11 Key Technologies” in which Belarus wants to cooperate with China in trade and investment.
Russia needs to better secure its arbitration reach by both developing Bilateral Investment Treaties with Global South nations, and / or establishing a BRICS arbitration centre. We can expect a flurry of BIT agreements being signed in the coming months.
The Uzbeki Deputy Prime Minster has been discussing investment opportunities for Russia’s largest dairy producer in Uzbekistan. The country is a high dairy per capita consumer but still needs to import milk.
The Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin has met with Uzbekistan President Shavkat Mirziyoyev and Prime Minister Abdulla Aripov at the Tashkent International Investment Forum. We discuss what was said and the latest in bilateral trade and investment trends.
The Eurasian Economic Union has ratified its customs agreement protocols for goods transit to non-EAEU countries and is hoping to have countries such as China and Uzbekistan endorse it.
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Our deep-dive analysis into the results of SPIEF 2026 – the signed agreements, investment deals, Russian corporate finance, multilateralism and agreed projects, including China, India, ASEAN, Middle East, African and LatAm investment plans.
Russia’s Rosatom Renewables has placed a tender for wind power evaluations for energy projects in all the CIS countries, including Russia, as well as Georgia and Vietnam. The combined resources will provide 300 million MW to Eurasia’s energy requirements.
The BRICS New Development Bank is considering the financing of various infrastructure projects in Uzbekistan, which became the NDB’s tenth full member on June 6th.
The Uzbek President has stressed energy cooperation with Russia as a key part of Uzbekistan’s national development, with the first stages of the countries first nuclear power plant being laid down at Jizzakh. Rosatom is building the plant and providing a credit facility. The NPP will provide about 15% of Uzbekistan’s electricity needs.
Tajikistan has the potential to increase its agricultural exports to Russia by another 10% in value, as the two countries Economic Development Ministers. Tajikistan is a source Central Asia’s best quality fruits.
Armenia is holding Parliamentary elections in a few days, with the Russian and Armenian Presidents discussing developments within the Eurasian Economic Union. We take a look at Armenia’s choices between the EAEU and the EU as the political temperature heats up and tensions over Armenia increase. .
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