An informal meeting of the heads of state of the CIS, which is traditionally convened before the New Year by Russian President Vladimir Putin, started in St. Petersburg.

The President of Russia invited colleagues from Azerbaijan, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan to begin communication not at the negotiating table, but during a tour of the palace and park complexes of St. Petersburg, TASS reports.

On Tuesday afternoon, the leaders of the Commonwealth countries arrived at the Pavlovsk Museum-Reserve, then they are expected in Tsarskoye Selo and Peterhof.

After a tour of the palace, a small concert was given for the presidents in one of its halls: the Northern Symphony Orchestra and its soloists performed several classical waltzes and romances. The mini-concert was hosted by the special representative of the Russian President for international cultural cooperation, Mikhail Shvydkoy.

The informal CIS summit will end with a conversation at the Konstantinovsky Palace in Strelna. It is reported that after a walk to the Tsarkoye Selo Palace and Peterhof, the leaders of the CIS countries will complete the meeting at the Konstantinovsky Palace in Strelna.

According to the press secretary of the Russian President Dmitry Peskov, President Putin will speak in Strelna, where the meeting of the informal summit will take place. The Russian head of state will address the summit participants, followed by a lunch in honor of the leaders of the CIS countries who arrived for the informal meeting.

ORIENT news