Including Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and an associate in Turkmenistan, the CIS is a Eurasian trade bloc that achieved about US$125 billion in multilateral trade in 2025, with an average GDP growth rate of approximately 4.7%. Key developments include new trade platforms (CIS Plus), focus on infrastructure like the CKU railway, and expansion of free trade agreements, especially for services, enhancing regional economic integration within Eurasia and beyond. Understand the CIS market for business. Get analysis on trade regulations, economic integration, and cross-border investment opportunities within this key post-Soviet economic zone.
Tajikistan is considering the purchase of Russian-built railway equipment, including freight, passenger and maintenance equipment. Direct Dushanbe-Moscow rail is being planned as are bus services. Bilateral trade between the two countries is expected to growth 2.5 times between now and 2030.
Armenia is negotiating with Russia over the construction of a second Nuclear Power Plant. Armenia’s existing NPP dates back to the Soviet era, while Armenia looks to secure future energy supplies. Yerevan however appears intent on driving a hard bargain.
Russia’s Wildberries & Russ has established a WB Taxi pilot taxi hailing service in Kyrgyzstan as the company both enters the domestic market and tests for a later launch in Russia. WB Taxi users have access to the Standard, Comfort, and Multi fares, 24/7 voice support, and chat functionality. There is also a loyalty programme.
Russia’s Ozon online marketplace has entered Turkmenistan and has partnered with the national postal service to arrange deliveries. Ozon is one of Russia’s largest and pioneering e-commerce companies, often referred to as the “Amazon of Russia”, offering millions of products across multiple categories and sustaining a wide logistics and delivery network. It has had significant growth in Central Asia in recent years.
Russia’s agricultural exports to Uzbekistan rose 19% last year, with sugar amongst the best performing items. Russian chocolate, soybean meal, sunflower oil and margarine all showed signifcant increases.
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The Iran war is impacting supply chains throughout Central Asia including the Eurasian Economic Union and Commonwealth of Independent States, creating new logistics corridors as well as problems. We examine the geostrategic implications as the Western hemisphere becomes increasingly isolated from the East.
The Iran conflict has cut off Europe from its normal Southeast Asian aviation routes, yet Russia has been able to call on regional members of the Commonwealth of Independent States, BRICS, and the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, as well as its new Asian diplomatic strategy, to reroute flights to the east and use Eurasian connectivity to access Southeast Asian tourist destinations. This move could ultimately open up new transport hubs in Central Asia to service these markets in problems persist in the Middle East.
Russia and Azerbaijan have been discussing increasing their bilateral trade, and specifically within the International North-South Transport Corridor. Mutual trade has been increasing yet both sides wish to accelerate this.
Russia will open a Consulate General will open in Kazakhstan’s Aktau, according to a decree signed by Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin and published on the official legal information website on Wednesday (February 11). Its opening and maintenance costs will be funded “through budget allocations to the Russian Foreign Ministry envisaged in the federal budget […]
Russia has exported 19,900 tonnes of grain to Armenia via Azerbaijan since November, according to Azerbaijan’s Report news agency. The news is significant, as it illustrates that Azeri-Armenian logistics and supply chains are now operating normally after the two countries fought a war in 2023 that created significant damage. The conflict wasn’t resolved until 2024, […]
Moldova has launched the procedure for officially withdrawing from the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), Foreign Minister Mihai Popsoi has said. The CIS was formed in 1991 after the collapse of the USSR to promote cooperation regarding economic, political, and security issues among the former Soviet republics. It currently includes Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, […]
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