BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 9. Turkmenistan and the European Union discussed prospects for expanding practical cooperation and developing contacts in areas of mutual interest.
This was reflected in a statement published by the Turkmen MFA following a meeting between Minister Rashid Meredov and EU Ambassador to Turkmenistan Luc Pierre Devigne on September 9.
According to the Ministry, the sides exchanged views on a broad range of issues of mutual interest and emphasized the importance of maintaining regular dialogue and constructive interaction. Particular attention was paid to expanding practical cooperation and developing contacts in relevant areas.
"The sides reaffirmed their readiness to continue constructive engagement and make joint efforts to further develop bilateral relations," the ministry noted.
Meanwhile, relations between Turkmenistan and the European Union are currently governed by an Interim Agreement on Trade and Trade-related Matters, which entered into force in 2010. A broader Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (PCA), signed in 1998, has not yet been fully ratified by the European Parliament, making Turkmenistan the only Central Asian country without a fully implemented partnership agreement with the EU.
In recent years, cooperation has increasingly focused on transport connectivity, trade facilitation, energy, education, climate policy, and economic diversification. The EU's engagement with Turkmenistan is carried out within the framework of the 2019 EU Strategy for Central Asia and the Global Gateway initiative. The EU has allocated 18 million euros for bilateral cooperation with Turkmenistan under its 2021-2027 programme.
Transport and logistics have become one of the key areas of cooperation. Brussels views Turkmenistan as an important participant in the Trans-Caspian Transport Corridor connecting Central Asia and Europe. In March 2025, EU Commissioner for International Partnerships Jozef Síkela visited Ashgabat and reaffirmed EU support for the corridor's development as part of the Global Gateway strategy.
