A compelling moment arrived in Baku this summer, as two neighboring Caspian nations, Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan, gathered for the 8th meeting of their Joint Intergovernmental Commission on economic and humanitarian cooperation. Beneath the polished diplomatic formality lay a deeper truth: this is where century‑old fraternal ties meet bold new ambition.

This meeting is undoubtedly very important. It marks the beginning of a new era in the official Ashgabat-Baku relationship, which has been somewhat strained for a while. The first sign of warming relations was the visit of Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, the Chairman of the People's Council of Turkmenistan, to Azerbaijan. The "melting of ice" between these two countries has accelerated in the context of the Russia-Ukraine war and the risks associated with transport corridors that pass through Iran. A key interest that unites Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan is their joint involvement in the Middle Corridor (Trans-Caspian International Transport Route) project. Europe’s growing interest in this corridor, along with the increasing significance of Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan as major players in the........

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