Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, National Leader of the Turkmen People and Chairman of the Halk Maslahaty of Turkmenistan, met Tuesday in Ashgabat with U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs Paul Kapoor to discuss expanding diplomatic, economic, and regional security cooperation.
The high-level meeting precedes upcoming U.S.-Turkmenistan political consultations aimed at strengthening bilateral relations.
Diplomatic Greetings and Regional Neutrality
During the delegation meeting, Kapoor conveyed warm greetings from U.S. President Donald Trump to the National Leader and Turkmen President Serdar Berdimuhamedov, highlighting Washington’s commitment to deepening ties with Ashgabat.
Kapoor emphasized the United States’ continued respect for Turkmenistan’s legal status of permanent neutrality and acknowledged Ashgabat’s role in promoting regional stability and working closely with the United Nations. In return, Berdimuhamedov expressed gratitude for Washington’s sustained support of Turkmen sovereignty and independent foreign policy.
Strategic Infrastructure and Economic Partnerships
A central focus of the talks was long-term economic collaboration and regional energy security. Berdimuhamedov commended U.S. support for the transnational Turkmenistan–Afghanistan–Pakistan–India (TAPI) gas pipeline project, underscoring its potential to transform energy dynamics across South and Central Asia.
Both sides highlighted a history of successful commercial partnerships with major U.S. enterprise leaders, including Boeing, John Deere, Case New Holland, and Nicklaus Design. Discussions also focused on expanding bilateral investment through the Turkmenistan-U.S. Business Council, following its recent session in the Turkmen capital.
Multilateral Dialogue and Regional Momentum
The leaders reviewed recent diplomatic momentum, pointing to the President of Turkmenistan’s engagement at the C5+1 Summit in Washington, D.C., along with recent C5+1 ministerial discussions in Samarkand, Uzbekistan.
The meeting concluded with both leaders reaffirming their shared commitment to expanding long-term strategic, trade, and cultural partnerships. /// nCa, 4 November 2026