Does Russia want to join the Organization of Turkic States? The Kremlin has officially responded

2 November 2026, 23:36·73·World

Dmitry Peskov, press secretary for the President of the Russian Federation, stated that Russia's participation in the activities of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS) would be a completely natural and logical step.

In a statement made on November 2, the Kremlin representative emphasized that many peoples and regions within the country have historical Turkic roots, signaling Moscow's interest in cooperating within the framework of the organization.

"It is logically correct and natural": Key points from Peskov

The official approach of the Russian leadership on this matter is based on the following key aspects:

Historical and national factor: "There are a number of regions in Russia whose populations are historically and ethnically Turkic. Therefore, such participation would be completely understandable, appropriate, and natural," Dmitry Peskov emphasized;
A unified state, not separate regions: The presidential press secretary specifically noted that this is not about the participation of individual Turkic republics within Russia (such as Tatarstan, Bashkortostan, or Yakutia), but rather the participation of the Russian Federation as a unified state.

Tokayev's initiative: Will observer status be granted?

The Kremlin's position did not emerge by chance — it is a direct continuation of an important political initiative in Central Asia:

Proposal by the President of Kazakhstan: Previously, Kazakh leader Kassym-Jomart Tokayev had put forward the idea of granting Russia official observer status in the Organization of Turkic States;
Deep historical ties: Tokayev justified his proposal by citing Moscow's centuries-long maintenance of intrinsic geopolitical, cultural, and economic ties with the Turkic world.

If this initiative is supported by the member states of the organization (Uzbekistan, Turkey, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan), the geopolitical balance and the scope of international cooperation within the OTS platform could reach a new level.