ASTANA, October 14. /TASS/. The CIS countries are making active efforts to switch to settlements in national currencies, Russian President Vladimir Putin said Friday.
"Joint initiatives on import substitution and establishing financial and technological sovereignty have been launched. Active attempts are being made, in particular, to move to national currencies in settlements between the Commonwealth countries," he said.
The Russian leader noted that this makes it possible "regardless of external factors to expand commodity exchanges, make mutual investments, develop our own capital market, and thus deepen continental economic integration."
"I would like to note that despite the sanctions pressure, which we are all well aware of, our economic exchange with the CIS countries is consistently expanding," Putin added.
He noted that last year Russia’s trade with the Commonwealth countries increased by over 30%, and by another 7% in the first half of 2022.