TURKMENBASHI: Russian President Vladimir Putin urged Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) members on Friday to remove trade barriers, warning that national restrictions were slowing economic cooperation across the bloc.
Speaking at a summit of CIS leaders in Turkmenistan, Putin said member countries could achieve greater economic progress by easing trade restrictions. “We need to remove barriers,” Putin told the gathering.
He acknowledged that participating governments were working on practical measures to strengthen economic cooperation.
However, individual countries continued to introduce restrictions that limited regional trade. Putin argued that such measures prevented the Commonwealth from reaching its full economic potential.
Russia’s trade with CIS partners exceeded $110 billion in 2025, according to figures cited by Kremlin officials. Trade continued to expand during the first half of 2026.
Meanwhile, CIS countries have pursued industrial and infrastructure projects to strengthen economic ties and develop regional supply chains.
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Putin’s remarks focused on reducing obstacles between member economies rather than introducing new trade arrangements.
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He did not identify which national restrictions should be removed first or provide a timetable for implementing the proposed changes.
