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.