CSTO SUMMIT TO DISCUSS AID FOR ARMENIA
Leaders of the Collective Security Treaty Organization, made up of Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia and Tajikistan, will hold an extraordinary video conference on Friday to discuss support for Armenia following clashes on its border with Azerbaijan. Russian President Vladimir Putin will attend.
ASTANA TO HOST CIS MEETING
The capital of Kazakhstan will host heads of government from across the Commonwealth of Independent States, a club of former Soviet republics, for their jubilee 80th meeting.
The leaders are expected to sign a dozen of cooperation deals and discuss funding of a collective air defense shield through 2023. Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin will attend.
EU BOSS CHARLES MICHEL DUE IN UZBEKISTAN
European Council chief Charles Michel will travel to Uzbekistan for a meeting with President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, a day after he attended the summit of Central Asian leaders in neighboring Kazakhstan, a major regional energy exporter. Kazakhstan relies on Russia for a large share of its oil transit.
ARMENIA TO HOLD DIASPORA SUMMIT
A four-day Global Armenian Summit will kick off in Yerevan on Friday. Organized by Armenia’s high commissioner for diaspora affairs, the gathering is billed as a platform for discussing national security, investment, repatriation and challenges faced by Armenians abroad.
CHIEF EUROPEAN COMMISSIONER TO VISIT SERBIA
European Commission boss Ursula von der Leyen will travel to Serbia on Friday as part of her Western Balkan tour to meet with President Aleksandar Vucic. The two will inspect the Serbia-Bulgaria gas link.
Von der Leyen kicked off her Balkan trip on Thursday with visits to North Macedonia, Kosovo and Albania and is also expected to come to Bosnia on Friday. The European Union’s energy security is in the focus of the talks.
SWEDISH PRIME MINISTER TO MAKE FIRST TRIP TO FINLAND
Sweden’s new prime minister, Ulf Kristersson, will travel to neighboring Finland on Friday for his first trip since taking office last week. He will meet with his Finnish counterpart, Sanna Marin, and President Sauli Niinisto for talks on bilateral relations and the Nordic nations’ future NATO membership.
ELON MUSK DUE TO CLOSE TWITTER ACQUISITION
This Friday marks the deadline for Elon Musk to complete the $44 billion deal to buy Twitter. Musk announced the plan in April only to renege on his pledge in July after he accused the social networking giant of inflating user numbers. The billionaire shared a video on Twitter on Thursday showing him moving into the company’s headquarters.
