Putin arrives in Bishkek to attend informal CSTO summit

Russian President Vladimir Putin has arrived to Bishkek to attend an informal Collective Security Treaty Organization, or CSTO, summit there later today.

According to Putin’s aide Yuri Ushakov, the Russian leader is also scheduled to hold bilateral talks with the summit host, Almazbek Atambayev, and the Tajik President, Emomali Rahmon.

The summit will basically focus on ways to promote the system of collective security and improve the joint combat training of CSTO forces.

But, perhaps, the key issue, Ushakov said, is counteracting threats from Afghanistan, above all, because of the forthcoming pullout of the ISAF force from Afghanistan in 2014.