Azerbaijan's Aliyev to skip informal CIS summit in St. Petersburg

 Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev will not attend an informal summit of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) leaders in Saint Petersburg on Monday, citing a busy schedule, the presidential administration said.

The administration also clarified that Aliyev’s absence from the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council meeting held on Dec. 21 was due to Azerbaijan not being a member of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU).

While skipping the informal year-end gathering, Baku reaffirmed its commitment to the CIS, emphasizing that Azerbaijan regularly participates in official summits and prioritizes bilateral ties with member states. Aliyev last attended a formal CIS Council of Heads of State meeting in Dushanbe, Tajikistan, in October.

N.Tebrizli