Putin touts 90% dollar-free CIS trade as Russia deepens sanctions workaround

At the CIS summit in Turkmenistan, Putin highlighted that over $110 billion in regional trade is now 90% settled in national currencies, underscoring Moscow's success in reducing reliance on the dollar and Western financial systems. This is a continuation of Russia's de-dollarization strategy, but the bloc's political influence is waning, with Azerbaijan chairing in 2028 and Armenia potentially in 2029. The shift signals a structural realignment of trade flows away from Western finance, though the bloc's cohesion remains limited.