On 21 October 2025, Chairwoman of the Mejlis of Turkmenistan, Dunyagozel Gulmanova, met with Chairperson of the Federation Council of the Federal Assembly, Valentina Matviyenko, as part of an official visit to Moscow.
During the meeting, the Speaker of the Federation Council stated that Dunyagozel Gulmanova’s visit to Moscow is of particular importance. “This is your first official visit to Russia as Chair of the Mejlis of Turkmenistan. I believe it will give an additional impetus not only to the activation of inter-parliamentary cooperation but also to our mutually beneficial bilateral relations in general.”
Valentina Matviyenko emphasized that the tone and substance of Russian-Turkmenistan cooperation are set by the leaders of the two countries. “Presidents Vladimir Putin and Serdar Berdimuhamedov recently met in Dushanbe within the framework of the CIS Council of Heads of State meeting and the ‘Russia – Central Asia’ summit. A number of other important bilateral meetings are planned before the end of the year. This indicates the intensity of our interaction and the shared interest in strengthening and expanding cooperation.”
The head of the upper house of the Russian parliament praised the support for inter-parliamentary cooperation extended by the National Leader of the Turkmen people, Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov.
According to Valentina Matviyenko, the cooperation between the legislators of the two countries has become an important component of interstate relations. “It is important that the mechanisms of our interaction are constantly improving,” she added.
Dunyagozel Gulmanova noted that the relations between Russia and Turkmenistan are strategic in nature. “Thanks to the efforts of the heads of state, cooperation is constantly being activated at different levels and in various directions. Our countries successfully interact in bilateral and multilateral formats, including within the framework of authoritative international organizations,” she said.
The speaker of Turkmenistan parliament highlighted Valentina Matviyenko’s significant contribution to the development of inter-parliamentary ties.
The sides discussed the activities of the cooperation group between the Federation Council and the Mejlis of Turkmenistan. Matviyenko proposed holding the first joint meeting and drafting a “roadmap” of concrete actions.
She expressed the readiness of the parliamentarians to contribute to activities of the Intergovernmental Commission on Economic Cooperation.
In her opinion, the regions of the two countries can play a key role in expanding ties. “The Republic of Tatarstan, the Astrakhan region, and Saint Petersburg are already actively cooperating with Turkmenistan and are ready to expand productive interaction. Other regions are also showing interest in working with your country,” the Speaker of the Federation Council said.
Special attention during the conversation was paid to the 80th anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War. “In Turkmenistan, as in Russia, the memory of the courage and heroism of ancestors is preserved, and veterans and home front workers are cared for. The Turkmen SSR made an enormous contribution to the Victory over Nazism. In those trials, the friendship between our peoples was forged and strengthened, and it forms the basis of Russian-Turkmenistan cooperation today,” Matvienko emphasized, expressing gratitude to the President of Turkmenistan for participating in the May 9 celebrations in Moscow.
Matviyenko and Gulmanova noted the importance of implementing the cultural and educational project “Memory Train.” “This year, Turkmenistan joined the project for the first time. The trip became an unforgettable event for the children and gave them positive emotions, new impressions, and strong friendship,” the Speaker of the Federation Council said.
The meeting participants also touched upon cooperation in the fields of education and culture.
Matviyenko highly appreciated Turkmenistan’s support for the CIS Interparliamentary Assembly and invited the parliamentary delegation to participate in the meeting of the CIS IPA in Dushanbe and the International Forum “Commonwealth of Fashion” in Saint Petersburg.
Following the meeting, Gulmanova and Matvienko signed the Agreement on Cooperation between the Federation Council and the Mejlis of Turkmenistan.
According to Valentina Matviyenko, the document will open up additional opportunities and create new conditions for strengthening and expanding inter-parliamentary ties.
In particular, the agreement provides for the exchange of delegation visits and interaction between the committees and staff of the parliamentary chambers. “The parties will hold consultations on the most significant international and regional issues to develop cooperation in Central Asia and the Eurasian space,” the document states.
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On 21 October 2025, the Turkmen delegation took part in the wreath-laying ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier by the Kremlin Wall in the Alexander Garden, honoring the memory of soldiers who died in the Great Patriotic War of 1941–1945. They also visited the Moscow Kremlin State Historical and Cultural Museum and Heritage Site.