ORIENT | March 26. Turkmenistan, which has assumed the honorable and challenging mission of chairing the CIS in 2026, is moving into the active phase of implementing its regional strategy. Deputy Minister Serdar Mukhametdurdiyev met with a delegation from the CIS Executive Committee at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to "synchronize notes" ahead of the major summit in May.

The main topic of the meeting was detailing preparations for the meeting of the CIS Heads of Government Council, which Ashgabat will host on May 22, 2026. For Turkmen diplomacy, this event is not just an organizational task, but a priority platform for advancing its economic and humanitarian initiatives within the Commonwealth.

The parties have already begun discussing the Protocol of Agreement—a document that defines not only the agenda but also the architecture of future agreements.

Turkmenistan, which holds the CIS presidency in 2026, has set ambitious goals. Preparations for the May summit are being conducted with due regard for the country's "neutral status," which allows Ashgabat to act as an effective moderator in strengthening multilateral trade ties, developing transport and logistics corridors, and implementing joint energy security projects.

The upcoming summit in Ashgabat will be a serious test of Turkmenistan's chairmanship. The fact that organizational and protocol aspects are being discussed two months before the event speaks to the meticulous approach of Ashgabat diplomacy. Turkmenistan intends to host the meeting at the highest level, cementing its status as the region's main integration hub.