Vladimir Putin arrived in Tadjikistan, for a summit with the leaders of the former Soviet republics, including the president who publicly rebuked 3 years ago

Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived in Tadjikistan on Wednesday, Central Asia, to participate in the summit organized with the leaders of other former Soviet republics, who will probably focus on regional development and their relations with Moscow, writes Reuters.

A Kremlin statement announced that Putin will participate, starting on Thursday, at a Central Russia Summit, which will also attend the leaders of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan.

They will join the leaders of Armenia, Azerbaijan and Belarus within a larger meeting, of the Community of Independent States (CIS), which brings together the former Soviet Republics.

Putin limits their travel abroad because of an arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court (CPI) in relation to the deportation of Ukrainian children during the war that has already lasts for more than three and a half years.

But, as the war continues, the Kremlin leader showed an increased interest in developing relations with Asian neighbors, including a “without limits” partnership. He also strengthened cooperation with North Korea, through which the Phenian sent troops to participate in the conflict in Ukraine.

Putin will try to strengthen relations with Central Asia states and prevent the recurrence of instability periods in the region, attributed to borders or internal conflicts between rival groups.

After the collapse of the Soviet regime in 1991, Tadjikistan was included by a five -year -old civil war, in which tens of thousands died.

The Russian Ministry of Defense announced on Wednesday that Minister Andrei Belousov had discussions about military cooperation with his counterpart Tadjic, Emomali Sobirzoda.

“Today, many depend on the cooperation between the two military institutions, and especially on the stability in Central Asia,” said Belousov, according to the ministry. “The current situation remains very difficult,” the Russian official said.

The influence of Russia in the region has decreased in recent years, Kazakhstan, for example, adopting a carefully balanced position towards Moscow's war in Ukraine.

Putin was going to meet, during a state visit, with President Tadjik Emomali Rahmon, the longest ex-Soviet leader, in office since 1992.

At the last summit Russia-Central Assia in 2022, Rahmon was rebuked Putin because he did not treat the nations in the region with sufficient respect.

The discussions of the Kremlin leader with the leaders of Central Asia will certainly focus on the situation of the several millions of migrant workers in the region, who earn salaries in Russia to send them home.

Putin is expected to meet President Ilham Aliyev from Azerbaijan, with whom Moscow has had tense relations in recent months.