On May 26 of this year, a round table entitled “35 Years of the Commonwealth of Independent States: Results, Tasks, and Prospects” was held at the Federation Council of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation. The event was attended by heads of integration structures in the post-Soviet space, representatives of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, as well as representatives of the embassies of CIS countries in Russia. Opening remarks were delivered by the moderator, Chairman of the Federation Council Committee on International Affairs Grigory Karasin.
On May 26, 2026, a regular meeting of the CSTO Committee of Secretaries of Security Councils (CSSC) was held in Moscow under the chairmanship of the Russian side, with the participation of CSTO Secretary General Talatbek Masadykov. The participants conducted a substantive exchange of views on issues related to strengthening security in the CSTO area of responsibility.
On May 25, 2026, a meeting was held at the CSTO Secretariat between CSTO Secretary General Talatbek Masadykov, CSTO Deputy Secretary General Valery Semerikov, and Acting Director of the African Union Counter-Terrorism Centre Idriss Mounir Lallali.
On May 25, 2026, a meeting took place at the Secretariat of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) between CSTO Secretary General Talatbek Masadykov and the Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Iran to the Russian Federation, Kazem Jalali.
On May 20, consultations of representatives (experts) of the defense agencies of the CSTO member states aimed at improving air defense and developing the CSTO Collective Aviation Forces were held via videoconference at the CSTO Joint Staff headquarters.
MIR24 | Stanislav Zas: The CSTO will not bring troops into Afghanistan
31.08.2021"This fear is absolutely unfounded. The CSTO is a purely defensive political and military organization. It can use collective defensive forces only within the CSTO zone of responsibility," Zas said.
The situation in Afghanistan escalated after the USA announced its decision to end the operation in the country.. In the first decade of August, the Taliban (an organization banned in the Russian Federation) intensified its offensive against the government forces in Afghanistan. On August 15, within a few hours, the Taliban achieved full control over Kabul. President of Afghanistan Ashraf Ghani left the country. Muhammad Naeem, spokesman for the Taliban's political office, said that the war in Afghanistan was over, and the form of government in the state would be clarified soon. Panjsher to northeast of Kabul remains the only province not under Taliban control.
