Diplomacy

Central Asian leaders will gather in Tashkent this weekend for the Seventh Consultative Meeting of Heads of State, with plans to adopt a package of multilateral agreements to deepen regional cooperation. The summit brings together the leaders of Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan, with Azerbaijan participating as a guest of honour for the third consecutive year. The leaders will discuss ways to advance joint projects in priority sectors and exchange views on key regional and international issues, as outlined in the agenda. The consultative meeting format originated from Mirziyoyev's initiative announced at the UN General Assembly in 2017, proposing regular high-level consultations among Central Asian states. The inaugural meeting took place in Astana in 2018. Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev told the Uzbekistan press agency the meeting will be "a significant stage in fostering the centuries-old friendship between our brotherly peoples and expanding multi-level cooperation in the political, economic, transport, investment, energy, cultural and humanitarian spheres, and in the field of digital transformation." He noted that over the past three years, Central Asian heads of state have made nearly 30 visits to Azerbaijan, while he has visited the countries 13 times. Azerbaijan's engagement strengthens regional connectivity, particularly through the Middle Corridor linking Central Asia with Europe.

The Foreign Ministers of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States of America, and the High Representative of the European Union, met under Canada’s G7 Presidency, in Niagara, on November 11-12, 2025. The Foreign Ministers of Brazil, India, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Mexico, the Republic of Korea, South Africa, and Ukraine, also joined the meeting for discussions on maritime security and prosperity, critical minerals, economic resilience and energy security. At the end of their meeting the G7 foreign ministers said: We reaffirmed our unwavering support for Ukraine in defending its territorial integrity and right to exist, and its freedom, sovereignty, and independence. We reiterated that an immediate ceasefire is urgently needed. We agreed that the current line of contact should be the starting point of negotiations. We remain committed to the principle that international borders must not be changed by force. We are increasing the economic costs to Russia, and exploring measures against countries and entities that are helping finance Russia’s war efforts. We condemned the provision to Russia of military assistance by DPRK and Iran, and the provision of weapons and dual-use components by China, a decisive enabler of Russia’s war. We acknowledged the ongoing discussions on a wide range of financing options, including further leveraging immobilised Russian Sovereign Assets in our jurisdictions in a coordinated way to support Ukraine. We strongly condemned Russia’s recent direct attacks on energy infrastructure and reaffirmed our support for Ukraine’s energy security. We reiterated our strong support for President Trump’s Comprehensive Plan to End the Gaza Conflict. We welcomed the ceasefire and the release of hostages. We stressed the urgency of returning the remains of deceased hostages. We also welcomed the increased flows of aid, but expressed concern about restrictions that remain in place. We called on all parties to allow for humanitarian assistance without interference at scale, through the United Nations and its agencies, and the Red Crescent, in addition to other international institutions and INGOs, as stipulated in President Trump’s plan. It is vital that all parties continue to engage constructively on the next steps outlined in the Comprehensive Plan, in pursuit of a political horizon for peaceful and prosperous co-existence for the Israeli and Palestinian peoples that advances comprehensive Middle East peace and stability. We will also continue to maintain attention on the situation in the West Bank. (click headline to read more)