17 March 2015, 11:49 GMT
MOSCOW (Sputnik) — The leaders of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) members will hold a meeting in Moscow in May, the Chief of Staff of Russia’s Presidential Executive Office said.
“An informal meeting of the heads of CIS states is planned for May 8,” Sergei Ivanov said.
Moscow is set to host numerous world leaders for its Victory Day celebrations on May 9, marking 70 years since the defeat of Nazi Germany in the Second World War.
The leaders of 26 states have confirmed their participation in the event, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Tuesday.
CIS is a regional organization formed by former Soviet Union members in the 1990s. The organization aims to promote economic, political and cultural cooperation, and eight of its nine members are part of the CIS Free Trade Area.
