Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan Rashid Meredov held talks with European Commissioner for International Partnership Jozef Sikela, during which the parties emphasized the importance of the upcoming first summit in the Central Asia-EU format and touched upon preparations for the ministerial meeting in Ashgabat. According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan, the meeting took place on March 12, 2025, as part of the European Commissioner’s visit to Turkmenistan.

The diplomats reviewed a wide range of issues of bilateral cooperation in the political, diplomatic, trade, economic, cultural and humanitarian spheres. Particular attention was paid to the possibilities of expanding the legal framework of partnership and the effectiveness of joint mechanisms of interaction, including the Turkmenistan-EU Joint Committee, the Inter-Parliamentary Dialogue and the Human Rights Dialogue.

During the meeting, the parties discussed practical aspects of cooperation in the economic sphere, including the development of trade relations, transport connectivity, energy security, as well as innovation and investment activities. An exchange of views was held on the implementation of the EU Global Gateway initiative.

A separate item on the agenda was the consideration of the possibility of using the expert potential of the European Union in the process of Turkmenistan’s accession to the World Trade Organization. In addition, the meeting participants discussed joint work in the field of environmental safety, reducing methane emissions and developing renewable energy sources, as well as prospects for cooperation in education and science.