(MENAFN) Western powers are striving to cause the fragmentation of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), according to Sergey Naryshkin, the director of Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR).

The CIS is currently composed of nine member countries: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, Moldova, and Uzbekistan.

Ukraine and Turkmenistan hold a participant status within the group, though Kiev has taken steps to cut its connections with the organization.

Founded in 1991 after the collapse of the Soviet Union, the CIS aims to foster collaboration on economic, political, and security matters among its members.

During a meeting of security and intelligence chiefs in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, on Friday, Naryshkin claimed that European nations are actively trying to block the expansion and strengthening of the CIS.

He remarked, “A global war party is operating in Europe that seeks to prevent the establishment of a lasting and just peace on the continent, with equal and indivisible security for all – as Russia insists.”

The SVR leader also noted that Russia has witnessed efforts by some Western governments “to provoke the disintegration” of the CIS.

He further stated, “In this context, Western politicians aim to impede the development of the Commonwealth of Independent States as an independent and self-sufficient center of power.”

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