Russia is interested that its allies and partners have armed forces that are compact and have high mobility and modern arms and military equipment, Russian Minister of Defense Sergey Shoygu said at Wednesday’s Fifth Moscow Conference on International Security.

“The logic of our actions is simple and clear,” Shoygu stated. “The strengthening of the CSTO [i.e. the Collective Security Treaty Organization] borders means strengthening the security of Russia.” 

In his words, the Russian Ministry of Defense considers its priorities to be military cooperation with the other Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) countries—including Armenia, the military component  of the CSTO, and the development of a federal state with Belarus.

Sergey Shoygu added that one of the shared tasks of Russia and its allies is to prevent the spreading of terrorism “metastases” within the CIS countries, reported RIA Novosti news agency of Russia.

Around 500 guests from 80 countries, including Armenia, are participating in the aforesaid Moscow conference, which kicked off on Wednesday.

The debates will continue until Thursday.