Overview
- Vladimir Putin and South Ossetian leader Alan Gagloev, who met in Moscow on Saturday, signed a pact titled the Treaty on Deepening Allied Cooperation.
- Gagloev called the agreement a step toward integration with Russia, signaling a push for closer alignment.
- Putin said the deal would provide a chance to strengthen the relationship, framing it as a way to expand cooperation.
- South Ossetia declared independence in the early 1990s and is recognized by only a few states after Russia backed it and recognized it following the 2008 war with Georgia.
- Details and photos of the signing came from the Kremlin and TASS, and Kyodo distributed the report carried by Japanese regional newspapers.