Erdoğan meets Uzbek president Mirziyoyev in Turkistan

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan met with his Uzbek counterpart Shavkat Mirziyoyev on Friday in the Kazakh city of Turkistan. The talks took place on the margins of the Informal Summit of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS), according to a statement from the Turkish Foreign Ministry on X.

Bilateral agenda

The closed-door meeting was held at the hotel where Erdoğan was staying and was also attended by Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan. While no further details about the content of the discussions were released, such meetings typically cover bilateral trade, defence cooperation, investment opportunities, and regional issues. Türkiye and Uzbekistan have significantly deepened ties in recent years, with bilateral trade volume growing steadily and Turkish companies active in Uzbek infrastructure, energy, and construction sectors.

Strategic context

The Erdoğan-Mirziyoyev meeting follows a series of high-level visits and agreements between Ankara and Tashkent, including defence industry cooperation and cultural exchanges. Both leaders are also participating in the wider OTS summit, which focuses on artificial intelligence, digital development, and economic integration among Turkic nations. The meeting underscores Türkiye’s commitment to strengthening relations with Central Asian republics as part of its broader Eurasian foreign policy.