MOSCOW, October 10. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin will start a series of meetings with CIS countries that are coming for a Sochi summit. Talks with Tajik President Emomali Rahmon and Moldovan President Igor Dodon are set for Tuesday, Russian Presidential Aide Yury Ushakov said.

The Russian and Moldovan leaders plan "to discuss the state and the prospects of bilateral cooperation with focus on the trade and economic issues, as well as the problems of the Transnistrian settlement," the Kremlin representative said. Ushakov stated that "in 2016, Russia lost its status of Moldova’s trade partner due to Chisinau’s stance to cut cooperation with Russia and speed up rapprochement with the EU."

"Regarding the Transnistrian settlement, Russia consistently supports reaching a compromise between Chisinau and Tiraspol worked out during equal talks on the basis of the norms and principles of international law. It is necessary to continue work to create the atmosphere of confidence between the Dniester river banks," the presidential aide stressed.

Speaking about the meeting with Rahmon, he noted that "the leaders will exchange opinions on current regional issues." "Russia and Tajikistan take similar positions within integration associations and international organizations: UN, OSCE, CIS, SCO and CSTO," Ushakov said.

He reiterated that Russia regularly provides humanitarian help to Tajikistan, and its total amount in the bilateral format stood at $12 mln in 2008-2016. The Russian leader’s aide reported that "in 2017, there are plans to invest 7mln dollars more as Russia’s regular contribution to the fund of the UN World Food Programme."

CIS and EAEU summits will be held in Sochi on October 11. On October 11, Putin will also meet with Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev and on October 12, with Kazakhstani President Nursultan Nazarbayev. Ushakov did not rule out that separate talks with other members of the summits, including Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, may be organized these days.