Putin begins working visit to Ashgabat

Russian President Vladimir Putin has begun a working visit to Turkmenistan. His plane landed in Ashgabat at night. The Russian President is currently in the Chamber of Commerce and Industry, where the forum "Interconnection of Times and Civilizations — the Basis of Peace and Development" is taking place. The Russian leader was met by his Turkmen counterpart, Serdar Berdimuhamedov.

During the visit, Putin will speak at the plenary session of the forum along with the heads of Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan.

In addition to this, he will hold talks with the Iranian President, Masoud Pezeshkian. The parties will discuss both Iranian-Russian relations and the latest round of escalation in the Middle East.

It should be noted that Moscow and Ashgabat are currently expanding their economic ties. It mostly concerns the energy sector. Russia is actively involved in the development of Turkmen deposits and in infrastructure projects.

Russia also views Turkmenistan as a key country in the context of its policy in Central Asia. In recent years, Russia and Turkmenistan have also discussed security issues, especially in the context of threats from terrorism and extremism.