On 11 July, the European Union and the Central Asian nations—Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan—convened for the 12th annual High-Level Political and Security Dialogue in Dushanbe, Tajikistan. This meeting reflects the growing engagement between Central Asia and the EU, building upon the 20th Ministerial Meeting held on 27 March 2025 in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, and the inaugural EU-Central Asia Summit on 4 April 2025 in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, which established a strategic partnership between the two regions.
The dialogue provided a platform to address shared global and regional security challenges, notably the ramifications of Russia’s military aggression against Ukraine, as well as ongoing situations in the Middle East and Afghanistan. Participants reviewed advancements in implementing the Joint Roadmap for Deepening Ties between the EU and Central Asia, with particular emphasis on Key Area 4, dedicated to addressing security issues.
There was a consensus to enhance cooperative efforts in security matters, with the EU reiterating its commitment to support these initiatives. The dialogue also facilitated discussions on emerging security threats, including disinformation, cyber threats, and hybrid challenges. Participants acknowledged that the current geopolitical climate has considerable repercussions for the security, stability, and economic development of both regions.
Additionally, the meeting served as an opportunity to strengthen regional cooperation on several pressing issues, including counter-terrorism, violent extremism, border management, illicit drug trafficking, water management, and connectivity.
The High-Level Political and Security Dialogue was held concurrently with the first-ever EU-Central Asia Counter-Terrorism (CT) Dialogue, conducted on 10 July 2025 in Dushanbe. The session was chaired by Olof Skoog, Deputy Secretary-General for Political Affairs at the European External Action Service, and featured contributions from Meder Abakirov, Deputy Foreign Minister of the Kyrgyz Republic; Ismatullo Nasredin, Deputy Foreign Minister of Tajikistan; Muzaffar Madrakhimov, Deputy Foreign Minister of Uzbekistan; Stanislav Vassilenko, Ambassador-at-Large at Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs; and Aymyrat Gochmyradov, Ambassador of Turkmenistan to Tajikistan.
