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 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. .
Russian President Putin and a substantial delegation have just completed a State visit to Kazakhstan where he also participated in meetings of the Heads of State of the Eurasian Economic Union. The three-day visit produced more than ten bilateral deals affecting all of Eurasia. We deep dive what happened and provide comprehensive analysis. This article is essential reading for all involved in Eurasian affairs.
The Commonwealth of Independent States has just held its annual meetings in Ashgabat, including leaders from Russia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. Significant developments took place in unifying a practical Eurasian geoeconomic platform centered around transport integration, industrial modernization, digital governance, logistics sovereignty, strategic mineral supply chains, customs digitization, agricultural security, energy coordination, and sanctions-resistant continental trade. This article is crucial intelligence for anyone involved in the Eurasian and Central Asian trade space.
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Russia’s Deputy Prime Minister, Mikhail Mishuston, had met with the President of Turkmenistan, Serdar Berdimuhamedov, in Ashgabat to discuss significant bilateral trade and investment issues. Both are also attending the CIS Annual Heads of Government Meetings. Russia-Turkmenistan developments are being sped up due to the need to create alternative trade routes with Iran.
The Armenian Foreign Minister has firmly rebuffed European media claims that the country is looking to exit the Eurasian Economic Un ion and wants to join the EU. He stated that Armenia has no intention of taking such a step, that it is unconstitutional, and not on any development agenda. Armenia has no European border, while its trade with the EU is just 7.5% of its total compared to 38% with Russia.
Russia’s Nanolek is investing in a second HPV vaccine production line to satisfy markets in the Commonwealth of Independent States, Eurasian Economic Union, Central and Southeast Asia as well as Africa. The line will increase vaccine production to 6 million doses a year and should be completed by 2027.
Russia and Kazakhstan geologists have discovered what is likely to be the world’s largest deposit of rare earths, in Kazakhstan’s South Irgiz region. According to scientific estimates, rare earth metal resources at the cluster exceed 20 million tonnes. Rare earths are essential ingredients in numerous global hi-tech applications, with the largest deposits thus found being from China, Brazil, India, Australia, Russia and now Kazakhstan.
Russian imports of Azerbaijani fruit increased by 17.8% in 2025, while Russian exports of livestock also increased by 1.6 times in complimentary trade flows. Both Azerbaijan and Russia are memebrs of the Commonwealth of Independent States.
The CAREC group of Central Asian nations is to expedite their regional comprehensive and transparent regional cooperation mechanism to facilitate cross-border trade and investment. These will link with Russian and Chinese digital logistics networks to the east and west and further enhance multilateral, Eurasian trade efficiencies.
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