BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 21. Turkmenistan and the European Union discussed issues of bilateral cooperation and priority areas of partnership within the framework of the 81st session of the UN General Assembly in Ashgabat.
This was reflected in a press statement published by the Turkmen MFA following the meeting between Deputy Foreign Minister Mahri Bayramova and EU Ambassador to Turkmenistan Luc Pierre Devigne.
According to the Ministry, in the course of the meeting, the sides discussed the current state and prospects for further development of relations between Turkmenistan and the EU, as well as current issues of cooperation.
"Particular attention was paid to the priority positions of Turkmenistan and the European Union within the framework of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly, as well as issues on the international and regional agenda," the ministry said.
The parties also discussed organizational matters related to joint events and further interaction within the bilateral dialogue and international platforms. The parties confirmed their interest in continuing constructive cooperation and maintaining regular contacts on issues of mutual interest, the ministry said.
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 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.
