Russia's Minister of Defense, Andrey Belousov, emphasized the crucial role of collaboration between Moscow and Dushanbe for ensuring stability in Central Asia during a meeting with Tajikistan's Minister of Defense, Emomali Sobirzoda. Belousov stated that the region's stability hinges significantly on the cooperation between their military departments, highlighting the complexity of the current situation.

Belousov stressed the need to strengthen cooperation in various areas such as military interaction, experience sharing, training, and defense industry collaboration. He emphasized the importance of developing these directions further to address the challenges faced in Central Asia. Additionally, Belousov underscored the meeting's significance, especially in light of the terrorist threat posed by over 20 radical groups in Afghanistan, which could potentially infiltrate neighboring countries in Central Asia.