Ashgabat, January 29 | ORIENT. Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Galuzin held meetings in Ashgabat with Foreign Minister Rashid Meredov and his counterpart, Akhmed Gurbanov. The talks were part of the latest round of consultations between Turkmenistan and the Russian Federation, where the parties thoroughly coordinated key areas of cooperation.

The main themes of the talks can be summarized as follows: a high level of trust, plus concrete economic pragmatism and security.

Political Foundation: Personal contacts between the leaders of the two countries play a special role in the dialogue. As Mikhail Galuzin noted, President Vladimir Putin's participation in the December international forum in Ashgabat was a powerful impetus, confirming Russia's unconditional support for Turkmenistan's neutral course.

This year, cooperation is taking on a special dimension due to Turkmenistan's chairmanship of the CIS. Moscow confirmed its readiness to closely coordinate efforts to give the Commonwealth new momentum.

Geopolitics of Formats. The parties noted that the two countries' positions on most international issues are "close or congruent." This applies to work at the UN, the Caspian Five, and the sought-after Central Asia-Russia format. According to the Russian diplomat, the parties demonstrate highly effective coordination, particularly on regional security issues.

Economy and the North-South Corridor. Beyond politics, the diplomats discussed in detail the roadmap for trade and economic cooperation. The focus is on implementing the decisions of the 13th meeting of the Intergovernmental Commission, held last October. Key priorities are transport infrastructure and expanding the capabilities of the international North-South corridor.

The meeting in Ashgabat: confirmed that the two countries' partnership is characterized by "deep strategic interaction," where every step is supported by specific plans and mutual respect for interests.