CNBC
Russia poured scorn on Ukraine’s attempts to invite its former Soviet allies to a forthcoming peace summit in Switzerland, saying the invitation had been rejected by its neighbors.
Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Galuzin told Russian news agency Tass that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and his Western allies had “begged” the leaders of the countries of former Soviet republics to come to the conference in Switzerland, but claimed the invitations had been rebuffed.
Russia jealously guards its influence over the CIS, which includes Russia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. Meanwhile, Western countries have tried to strengthen their relations with several member countries of CIS, much to Russia’s disdain.
