The Ashgabat Summit of the Council of Heads of Government of the Commonwealth of Independent States became the venue for an intensive diplomatic marathon at the highest level. On May 22, President of Turkmenistan Serdar Berdimuhamedov held a series of bilateral meetings with the heads of government delegations and the head of the CIS Executive Committee, outlining concrete outlines of long-term trade, economic, and humanitarian cooperation.

During talks with Prime Minister of the Russian Federation Mikhail Mishustin, it was noted that the strategic partnership between the two countries rests on a solid foundation of friendship and mutual respect. The focus was on trade and economic cooperation, where Russia traditionally maintains a position as one of Ashgabat's leading partners.

President Serdar Berdimuhamedov expressed Turkmenistan's direct interest in increasing mutual trade volumes, expanding the range of products, and intensifying direct contacts between the business communities. Particular attention was paid to the regional track, in particular, the effectiveness of interaction in the multilateral format "Central Asia – Russia".

The head of state discussed the dynamics of industrial cooperation at a meeting with Prime Minister of the Republic of Belarus Alexander Turchin. In the trade and economic sphere, the focus is shifting to launching mutually beneficial joint projects. Education remains an important part of the Belarusian relationship: thousands of Turkmen students study at Belarusian universities, and the parties are currently exploring mechanisms for expanding direct inter-university ties and intensifying the exchange of advanced medical practices in healthcare.

The region's transport and logistics potential dominated the discussions with Prime Minister of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ali Asadov. Given the two countries' advantageous geographic location at the crossroads of Asia and Europe, Serdar Berdimuhamedov emphasized the need to fully utilize the capabilities of the Intergovernmental Commission.

The main focus here is on joint projects in energy, transit, and the development of new transport corridors. At the end of the meeting, Ali Asadov extended an invitation from President Ilham Aliyev to pay an official visit to Baku at any convenient time.

The meeting with Prime Minister of the Republic of Kazakhstan Olzhas Bektenov confirmed not just the good-neighborly, but the deeply fraternal nature of interstate ties. The interlocutors praised the coordination of efforts in the international arena, including the Consultative Meetings of the Heads of State of Central Asia and the "Central Asia Plus" platform. The President of Turkmenistan specifically mentioned the recent Regional Environmental Summit "RES2026 EXPO" in Astana, calling it a powerful impetus for developing a pan-regional green agenda.

The focus on Eurasian logistics continued during a conversation with Prime Minister of the Republic of Uzbekistan Abdulla Aripov. The favorable geographic conditions of the two neighboring republics provide a green light for large-scale infrastructure initiatives. During the humanitarian section of the dialogue, the head of Turkmenistan thanked the Uzbek side for the high level of organization of the recent international equestrian competitions and the "Pearl of the East" contest, which significantly contributed to the popularization of the Akhal-Teke breed of horses on the global stage.

President Serdar Berdimuhamedov discussed prospects for diversifying the economic partnership with Kyrgyzstan during a conversation with Prime Minister of the Republic of Kyrgyzstan Adylbek Kasymaliev. The guest particularly noted the significant personal contribution of National Leader of the Turkmen People Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov to the development of bilateral ties. The parties identified electric power, the oil and gas sector, agriculture, and the joint use of transit corridors as priority and most profitable areas of cooperation.

Similar priorities were outlined at a meeting with Prime Minister of the Republic of Tajikistan Kokhir Rasulzoda. The head of the Tajik government emphasized that Turkmenistan's well-considered foreign policy of permanent neutrality is a key factor in stability throughout Central Asia. The two leaders agreed that Ashgabat and Dushanbe are ready to launch major long-term investment projects in transport and energy.

At a meeting with CIS Secretary General Sergey Lebedev, the head of state emphasized that Turkmenistan, as an associate member of the Commonwealth, consistently demonstrates a responsible approach to its current mission as the CIS Chairman in 2026. The entire planned Chairmanship Concept, which includes dozens of major industry events, is being implemented strictly on schedule and at the highest organizational level.

Serdar Berdimuhamedov expressed his sincere gratitude to the CIS Executive Committee and Sergey Lebedev personally for their professional coordination of joint work. The meeting discussed the holding of the year's largest political event in the Commonwealth—the meeting of the CIS Council of Heads of State, scheduled for October 9, 2026, on the Caspian coast of the country. The October summit in Avaza is intended to consolidate the agreements reached in Ashgabat and give a powerful impetus to the trusting partnership of all CIS countries.