Meeting of Coordination Meeting of Heads of Defense Committees of CSTO Parliaments was held in Minsk

A meeting of the Coordination Meeting of the Chairmen of Committees (Commissions) on Defense and Security of Parliaments of the Collective Security Treaty Organization member states under the Council of the CSTO Parliamentary Assembly (CSTO PA) was held in Minsk. The focus of the parliamentarians is on topical issues of ensuring collective security, as well as assessing the current military and political situation in the area of responsibility of the Organization and in the adjacent territories.

The meeting participants discussed joint measures to counter modern challenges and threats that require a consolidated response from the allied states. The key focus of the Coordination Meeting is traditionally the improvement and harmonization of the national legislations of the CSTO countries.

The main emphasis in the speech of the Chairman of the Standing Commission of the House of Representatives of the National Assembly of Belarus Gennady Lepeshko was made on measures to strengthen the collective protection of the countries of the Organization. Assessing the current situation, Gennady Lepeshko noted that in response to the buildup of NATO’s military presence near the borders of the Republic of Belarus, the expansion of weapons arsenals and unprecedented sanctions pressure, the CSTO countries are developing comprehensive protection measures. To ensure reliable security of the CSTO member states, according to him, today the strengthening of defense potential is at the forefront: increasing the readiness and coherence of actions of collective forces to protect the borders of the Organization, legislative integration – synchronization of the legal framework of the participating countries for rapid response to modern challenges, including protection from information attacks and ensuring cybersecurity, as well as political unity – developing a solidarity position in the international arena, countering attempts to split allied relations and jointly overcoming economic pressure.

The MP stressed that in the current realities, security can only be shared.

- Against the backdrop of an increase in the level of military danger in the region, our main and most effective response should be further consolidation of the efforts of parliamentarians and all CSTO structures to ensure reliable collective security, said Gennady Lepeshko.

Within the framework of the visiting session, Vladimir Bulavin, Chairman of the Committee of the Federation Council of the Federal Assembly of Russia on Defense and Security, spoke about the implementation of the priorities of the Russian Federation during the chairmanship of the Organization in 2026. The meeting in the capital of the Republic of Belarus coincided with the completion of large-scale exercises with the participation of the CSTO peacekeeping forces “Indestructible Brotherhood-2026” and the special exercise “Barrier” at the Losvido training ground. Vladimir Bulavin noted that this makes it possible to visually compare legislative activity with its practical application in the army.

The parliamentarian recalled that the Russian presidency is held under the motto “Collective security in a multipolar world: a common goal, common responsibility”, and elaborated on the results achieved in a number of key areas. He noted that at present, the CSTO cooperation is deepening at international venues, the trilateral format of cooperation with the SCO and the CIS is actively growing. Vladimir Bulavin said that as part of the fight against transnational threats, a draft Anti-Drug Strategy of the CSTO member states until 2030 was prepared, which will be submitted to the November session of the Collective Security Council (CSC).

- During this time, more than a hundred model legislative acts were adopted, forming the legal framework of the Organization. In November, it is planned to submit the SCB for consideration and sign the Agreement on the Parliamentary Assembly, which will consolidate its legal status in accordance with the CSTO Charter. In addition, cooperation in the fields of military medicine, biological and information security has been significantly expanded, the sub-regional anti-drug operation “Canal – Amber Coast” has been successfully carried out, in which about 39 thousand employees of the competent authorities took part.

Special attention was paid to parliamentary monitoring of the military-political situation in the Eastern European region of collective security. Vladimir Bulavin urged to use his findings in the preparation of legislative plans for next year.

“I am sure that timely ratification of agreements and competent legislative support of decisions will remain the one without which the agreements agreed at the level of heads of state will not work in full force,” Vladimir Bulavin said, stressing the exceptional importance of the parliamentary dimension in the architecture of Eurasian security.

The parliamentarians paid special attention to the development of model legislative acts and recommendations that will synchronize the regulatory framework of the member states for more effective functioning of the forces and means of the collective security system.