On October 24, Turkmen President Serdar Berdimuhamedov arrived in the Italian Republic for an official visit. Following a ceremonial welcome in Rome, he laid a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at the Altar of the Fatherland.

The highlight of the visit was a meeting at the Quirinal Palace with Italian President Sergio Mattarella. The two leaders held extensive talks emphasizing their commitment to strengthening bilateral relations based on mutual respect.

President Berdimuhamedov expressed gratitude to Italy for supporting Turkmenistan’s permanent neutrality and highlighted the importance of the “Central Asia – Italy” format, whose first summit took place in April this year. He also conveyed greetings from Turkmenistan’s National Leader Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov and invited the Italian President to participate in the International Forum marking the 30th anniversary of neutrality in Ashgabat on December 12, 2025.

Economic and strategic issues were central to the discussions. Italy is one of Turkmenistan’s key trade partners in the EU. Both sides stressed the need to diversify energy cooperation and acknowledged the active role of Italian companies in major projects utilizing advanced technologies. Transport, infrastructure, and Italian investment opportunities were also highlighted as promising areas.

Cultural and humanitarian cooperation was another focus. Turkmenistan and Italy maintain active archaeological collaboration, with Italian specialists participating in excavations at historical sites in Turkmenistan, contributing to regional history and global science.

At the conclusion of the meeting, both presidents reaffirmed their commitment to expanding mutually beneficial cooperation across a wide range of sectors.