Leaders of member states of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) opened a meeting of the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council (SEEC) in Astana on Friday.
The summit began with a closed-door session at the Independence Palace in the Kazakh capital, bringing together the heads of state of the EAEU member countries.
Participants included Russian President Vladimir Putin, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, and Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov.
Armenia was represented by Deputy Prime Minister Mher Grigoryan. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan did not attend the summit, citing his involvement in the ongoing election campaign in Armenia.
According to Russian presidential aide Yuri Ushakov, Armenia’s role within the EAEU and the potential implications of a possible withdrawal from the bloc are expected to be among the key issues discussed by the leaders.
The summit agenda also includes discussions on current challenges facing economic cooperation within the union, as well as reports on the EAEU’s development and strategic plans through 2029.
Leaders are also scheduled to review reports on the regulation of natural monopolies within the union and the 20-year performance of the Eurasian Development Bank.
The Supreme Eurasian Economic Council is the highest governing body of the EAEU and brings together the leaders of member states to determine the bloc’s strategic direction and integration priorities.
