BAKU, Azerbaijan, November 13. Tajikistan and Russia held interagency consultations on countering new challenges and threats in Moscow on November 12, 2026, co-chaired by Tajik Deputy Foreign Minister Idibek Kalandar and Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Dmitry Lyubinsky, according to the press service of Tajikistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
During the consultations, the sides exchanged views on current international and regional security issues, focusing on the state and prospects of Tajikistan–Russia cooperation in the defense and security sector.
The discussions also covered joint efforts to combat emerging threats within international and regional organizations, including the United Nations, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) and the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS).
Tajikistan shares a border of approximately 1,344 kilometers with Afghanistan. Security along this frontier remains an important factor in regional stability, particularly amid concerns over cross-border terrorism and the situation in Afghanistan. Russia maintains a military presence in Tajikistan through its 201st Military Base, one of Moscow's key military facilities in Central Asia.
Within the framework of the CSTO, a targeted interstate program has been established to strengthen the Tajik-Afghan border. Approved by the CSTO Collective Security Council on November 28, 2024, the program provides for the phased delivery of weapons, military equipment and technical border protection systems to Tajikistan in 2026–2027, followed by measures to reinforce the entire length of the border in 2027–2029.
In September 2026, Russian Defense Minister Andrei Belousov said that strengthening security along Tajikistan's border with Afghanistan remained one of Russia's defense priorities in the region. He also highlighted cooperation between Moscow and Dushanbe within the CSTO, SCO and CIS.
