Elena Teslova
02 February 2026•Update: 02 February 2026
By Elena Teslova
MOSCOW (AA) - Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Monday that security risks in Central Asia and developments in Afghanistan are the key concerns for the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO).
The CSTO is a regional military alliance comprising Russia, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan.
Speaking at a meeting with the organization’s Secretary-General Taalatbek Masadykov in Moscow, Lavrov described the region’s security challenges as “central.”
"The problems that are currently among the central ones for the CSTO are new challenges and threats. I am referring to the situation in the Central Asian region of collective security, as well as everything related to what is happening in Afghanistan," he said.
Lavrov praised Masadykov as “one of the leading experts” on Central Asian security and said his experience could help strengthen coordination and improve “the effectiveness of all allied actions.”
He added that the meeting carried “practical significance,” noting that Russia currently holds the rotating chairmanship of the CSTO’s Collective Security Council.
"We are ready to closely cooperate with you and with the staff of your Secretariat, which is also currently the subject of discussions on reforms and improvements, just like our entire allied format," he said.
Like NATO, the CSTO treats an attack on one member as an attack on all.
Afghanistan has remained a source of concern for regional states since the Taliban returned to power in 2021 following the withdrawal of US and NATO forces. The country continues to face a humanitarian and economic crisis despite relative internal stability, with persistent security and cross-border risks.
