SAMARKAND, April 14. /TASS/. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov during a meeting of the CIS Council of Foreign Ministers briefed his counterparts on the special military operation in Ukraine and noted the West’s growing attempts to interfere in the affairs of the Commonwealth of Independent States, the Russian Foreign Ministry said on Friday.

On April 14, Lavrov took part in a regular meeting of the CIS Council of Foreign Ministers in Samarkand.

"Lavrov explained in detail Russia’s vision of the situation in the world with a focus on the problems of ensuring global and regional security and noted the growing attempts by the collective West to interfere in the internal affairs of the CIS countries. He briefed his partners on progress in the special military operation in Ukraine," the Foreign Ministry said in a news release.

The CIS foreign ministers exchanged views on topical international issues and "identified the main areas of cooperation within the organization for the current year."

"Interaction among the foreign ministries in 2022 was appreciated," the news release reads.

The Russian Foreign Ministry said that the meeting resulted in "decisions aimed at further strengthening integration ties in the political, cultural, humanitarian and educational spheres."

"In particular, the cities of Minsk and Gyumri were declared as sports capitals of the Commonwealth in 2023 and 2024, respectively. The Russian Peoples' Friendship University named after Patrice Lumumba was given the status of the basic CIS organization for training and retraining journalists," the Foreign Ministry said.

A number of approved documents will be submitted for consideration to the Council of the CIS Heads of Government and the Council of the CIS Heads of State.