Turkmenistan and Russia Strengthen Strategic Partnership Ties

President Serdar Berdimuhamedov of Turkmenistan and President Vladimir Putin of the Russian Federation held a telephone conversation on October 7, 2026, to advance bilateral relations. Berdimuhamedov identified strategic cooperation with Russia as a primary priority of Turkmenistan's foreign policy and congratulated Putin on his birthday.

Putin stated that the relationship between the two nations is based on equality, mutual respect, and good-neighborly relations. The leaders focused on a strategic partnership covering diplomacy, energy, trade, and transport. Bilateral trade currently exceeds $1.6 billion annually, following a 21.4% increase in turnover during the first quarter of 2025.

Ongoing cooperation is guided by an intergovernmental action plan for 2025-2027. Key infrastructure projects discussed include the development of the International North-South Transport Corridor and the Volga-Caspian Canal to improve transport routes through the Caspian Sea.