Supreme Eurasian Economic Council meeting begins in Kazakhstan

The leaders of the countries participating in the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) opened the meeting of the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council with a restricted-format session, the Kremlin reported.

The event is taking place at the Palace of Independence in the center of Kazakhstan's capital, Astana.

The meeting is also attended by the presidents of Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Russia.

Armenia is represented by Deputy Prime Minister Mher Grigoryan. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan declined participating in the EAEU event, citing the election campaign in his country.

Russian presidential aide Yury Ushakov said ahead of Russian President Vladimir Putin's trip to Kazakhstan that the issue of Armenia's participation in the EAEU and the possible consequences of its withdrawal will be at the center of attention of the leaders of the economic union countries.

In addition to pressing issues of cooperation, the EAEU summit agenda includes reports on the development of the EAEU and on plans through 2029, he said.

Among the reports will also be an overview of the regulation of natural monopoly activities and the 20-year work of the Eurasian Development Bank.