Spring session of CIS Interparliamentary Assembly held in St. Petersburg

International security, economics, healthcare, and the work of the Youth Parliament. The spring session of the CIS Interparliamentary Assembly was held in St. Petersburg this week. The Tauride Palace brought together hundreds of parliamentarians from the Commonwealth countries.

Belarus presented numerous initiatives, including the use of artificial intelligence in education, new technologies in medicine, and issues of Eurasian security. What topics were the focus of the CIS parliamentarians?

The Tauride Palace in St. Petersburg is a monument of 18th-century classical architecture. It was originally built as a country residence for Prince Grigory Potemkin. In the early 20th century, the State Duma held its seat there. Since the collapse of the USSR in the 1990s, the Tauride Palace has served as the headquarters of the CIS Interparliamentary Assembly.

This week, the Tauride Palace became a venue for parliamentary diplomacy. Delegations from nine CIS countries gathered there. Their task is to represent the interests of their citizens at the legislative level. And proper communication is crucial here. The Head of the Council of the Republic of Belarus literally worked on her feet. Natalya Kochanova literally changed rooms every half hour for bilateral meetings. With colleagues from Uzbekistan, she discussed our trade and economic cooperation. Mutual trade turnover currently reaches $850 million. And there is every reason to increase it. Education was also discussed. More than 3,000 students from Uzbekistan are currently studying in Belarus. We discussed healthcare with a delegation from Kyrgyzstan. Belarus has a highly developed export of medical services, and our Kyrgyz colleagues are interested in coming to our country for treatment. And with our strategic partner, Russia, we discussed regional cooperation within the Union State. In particular, they discussed preparations for the 13th Forum of Regions of Belarus and Russia. It will be held in Minsk and the Minsk Region at the end of June.

Natalya Kochanova, Chairperson of the Council of the Republic of the National Assembly of Belarus:

"We have defined a long-term plan for 2026-2028 based on the model legislation of our countries. I would like to point out that it includes 134 documents, 12 of which were initiated by our Council of the Republic. Of course, key issues for us are always not only parliamentary work, but also, undoubtedly, trade and economic cooperation. The creation of joint ventures and enterprises—everything that is aimed today at promoting our goods and strengthening the economic strength of our countries."

2026 has been declared the Year of Health in the Commonwealth countries, so the main theme of the Interparliamentary Assembly is healthcare. Addressing the participants, the head of the Belarusian delegation noted that in our country, medicine is high-tech and, most importantly, accessible. We have much to be proud of.

Today, Belarus ranks 10th in the world for organ transplants. Our neurosurgeons perform unique operations, which helps reduce the risk of Parkinson's disease. Belarus uses new cancer treatments using cellular medicine. Furthermore, we are among the world leaders in preventing infant mortality.

Natalya Kochanova, Chairperson of the Council of the Republic of the National Assembly of Belarus:

This year, we commemorate a tragic date – the 40th anniversary of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant accident. For many countries, especially Belarus, it was a serious test. Our country has gained extensive experience in dealing with the consequences of the accident, including in radiation medicine, long-term public health monitoring, and social protection. Some of this experience has been incorporated into the Assembly's model legislation. The time has come to update it; plans to develop a model law on radiation safety in medicine are very timely.

Of course, special attention should be paid to the topic of international and regional security. The military and political situation in the world today is very volatile. This includes the conflict in the Middle East and Ukraine, the economic blockade of Cuba and Venezuela, the reinforcement of NATO troops near the borders of the Union State, and provocative statements by Poland and the Baltic states against Russia and Belarus.

And here, our country's diplomatic and balanced position is a good example for other Commonwealth countries. We are the initiators of the idea of the Eurasian Charter of Multipolarity and Diversity in the 21st Century.

Konstantin Kosachev, Deputy Chairman of the Federation Council of Russia:

"We have to reach an agreement. We certainly won't be able to agree on unipolarity, and we don't even plan to do so. But agreeing on multipolarity is entirely possible. After all, the initiative that our countries are promoting on Eurasian security, at the suggestion of the presidents of Russia and Belarus, is inclusive, not exclusive. Ideally, it assumes the participation of all Eurasian states without exception, including all of them."