BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 22. Russia highlights efforts to further deepen its strategic partnership with Turkmenistan in birthday greetings to President Berdimuhamedov.
This was reflected in a letter sent by Russian President Vladimir Putin to the President of Turkmenistan, Serdar Berdimuhamedov, on the occasion of his birthday, according to a press release published by the press service of the Turkmen government today.
Putin noted that under Berdimuhamedov’s leadership, Turkmenistan continues to advance its socio-economic development and strengthen its position on the international stage.
The Russian president said Moscow highly values Berdimuhamedov’s efforts to further deepen the strategic partnership between the two countries.
“We will continue joint work on current issues of the bilateral and international agenda for the benefit of the friendly peoples of Russia and Turkmenistan, in the interests of ensuring stability and security in Central Asia and the Caspian region,” Putin said.
The letter also expressed Putin’s wishes for President Berdimuhamedov’s good health, happiness, well-being and further success in his state activities.
For reference, Russia and Turkmenistan maintain a strategic partnership covering trade, energy, transport, diplomacy and humanitarian ties. Russia remains one of Turkmenistan’s key trading partners, with bilateral trade exceeding $1.6 billion annually, according to Turkmen government data. In 2025, bilateral trade continued to expand, with trade turnover rising 21.4% in the first quarter, while the two sides worked on an intergovernmental action plan for 2025-2027. Cooperation also extends to the fuel and energy sector, industry, agriculture, banking and finance, and digital technologies.
Energy remains an important component of the relationship, although Russia is no longer the main destination for Turkmenistan’s natural gas exports. The two countries have also been developing transport cooperation, including routes linking Turkmenistan with Russia and other markets through the Caspian Sea. Discussions have included the Volga-Caspian Canal with an outlet to the port of Turkmenbashi and the eastern bypass of the Caspian Sea within the International North-South Transport Corridor. At the political level, Moscow and Ashgabat cooperate through the UN, CIS, the Caspian littoral states and the Central Asia-Russia format. In September 2026, Turkmenistan said preparations were underway for the 14th meeting of the bilateral intergovernmental commission, with the agenda covering trade, energy, transport, finance, industry and other areas.
