World Bulletin / News Desk

Kyrgyzstan's Prime Minister Joomart Otorbaev has indicated that the central Asian country is preparing to join the Russia-led Customs Union, describing it as a "right step" to help tackle many economic and social challenges.

Otorbaev said that Kyrgyz products are already mainly being exported to Custom Union countries apart from gold, and that joining the union would improve the country's farming sector.

Belarus and Kazakhstan are already members alongside Russia, with Armenia expected to join the bloc soon. It is expected that the union will attract former Soviet states and lead to the formation of the Eurasian Economic Space (EES) as a rival to the EU.