Azerbaijan has explained why President Ilham Aliyev did not attend the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council meeting in St. Petersburg, Russia, on December 21, as well as the informal summit of CIS heads of state scheduled for today.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has arrived at the Palace of Independence in Minsk, the residence of the Belarusian leader. The Russian head of state will take part in the meeting of the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council, which will kick off soon.