MOSCOW, Dec. 21 (Xinhua) -- Russia highly values the mutually beneficial cooperation with its partners in the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) and hopes to step up joint efforts to develop ties among member states, Russian President Vladimir Putin said Sunday.
The EAEU has firmly established itself as one of the "independent and self-sufficient centers of the multipolar world," Putin said at the union's meeting in St. Petersburg.
Noting that cooperation within the EAEU has continued to make steady progress, Putin said such cooperation helps ensure economic stability and resilience for member states and the entire Eurasian region, which is particularly important against the backdrop of global economic volatility.
At the meeting, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko announced that Kazakhstan will take over the rotating presidency of the EAEU in 2026. Belarus currently holds the rotating presidency for 2025.
The member states of the EAEU are Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Russia. ■
