Russia took up chairmanship of the Collective Security Treaty Organisation (CSTO) in Bishkek on November 28.

Speaking at a session of the CSTO Collective Security Council, President Putin reviewed the organisation’s priority areas for the upcoming period.

The Russian chairmanship’s efforts will be aimed at ensuring the collective interests of the CSTO member states and creating conditions for safe and stable development based on the CSTO Collective Security Strategy to 2025.

Special efforts will be made to expand the member states’ foreign policy coordination on important matters of international and regional security, to develop joint political and diplomatic initiatives, to popularise CSTO activities and to improve its international status.

Developing the collective security system’s forces and means with consideration for the dynamics and forecasted development of the military-political situation in the world and the regions located in close proximity to the CSTO zone of responsibility are among the top priorities. Increasing the level of the CSTO Collective Forces’ preparedness to provide the guaranteed defence of its member states and improving the governance system and its comprehensive supplies will be the most important areas of focus. Emphasis will be placed on forming practical mechanisms for a joint response to information security threats and countering today’s combined forms of destructive impact on the CSTO member states.

During Russia's chairmanship of the CSTO, the organisation will continue to improve its crisis response system, primarily through establishing cooperation within the CSTO Crisis Response Centre.

Russia wants to expand the collaborative fight against terrorism and drug trafficking. Particular focus will go to identifying and suppressing activities of international terrorist organisations within the CSTO space, neutralising their resource base, counteracting the recruitment and foreign travel of CSTO member state citizens who intend to participate in terrorist activities. Plans are in place to build up the ability of the collective security system’s forces and means to deal with antiterrorist tasks, and to use the Russian army’s experience of fighting illegal armed units in Syria in their training. Anti-drug cooperation will be strengthened within the CSTO, including as part of the regional operation Channel.

Russia also plans to focus on expanding CSTO peacekeeping potential. This involves improving the peacekeeping personnel training system, increasing the interoperation of the CSTO member states’ peacekeeping contingents and the effectiveness of the CSTO Collective Peacekeeping Forces’ command. The Enduring Brotherhood 2020 joint exercise will be of great importance in these efforts. Improving the regulatory framework and developing a mechanism for engaging CSTO contingents in UN peacekeeping efforts will continue.

Priorities include improving cooperation and establishing partnerships between the CSTO and international organisations and any states that may be interested in this cooperation. In the context of ensuring security in the Eurasian space, developing CSTO contacts with the CIS and the SCO with a focus on countering terrorist threats is of particular importance. The CSTO will continue its dialogue with the UN and the OSCE in areas of mutual interest. During the Russian chairmanship, new opportunities for establishing CSTO interaction with third countries are opening up in connection with establishing CSTO observer and partner status.

The CSTO member states’ joint celebration of the 75^th anniversary of Victory in the 1941-1945 Great Patriotic War will be a major area of focus. The celebration will follow the Collective Security Council-approved list of events.

Russia’s CSTO Chairmanship website is: https://cstorussia2020.mid.ru/