Caspian nations reaffirm pledge to keep foreign armies out
From the left: Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev, Iran’s President Ebrahim Raisi, Turkmenistan’s President Serdar Berdymukhamedov, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Kazakhstan’s President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev pose for a photo on the sideline of the summit of Caspian Sea littoral states in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, Wednesday, June 29, 2022. (Grigory Sysoyev, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP)
Russian President Vladimir Putin attends a meeting on the sidelines of the Caspian Sea littoral states summit in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, Wednesday, June 29, 2022. (Grigory Sysoyev, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP)
Russian President Vladimir Putin, left, and Turkmenistan’s President Serdar Berdymukhamedov, 40-year old son of former Turkmenistan President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, talk to each other during their meeting on the sideline of the summit of Caspian Sea littoral states in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, Wednesday, June 29, 2022. (Mikhail Klimentyev, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP)
Russian President Vladimir Putin, left, listens to Turkmenistan’s President Serdar Berdymukhamedov, 40-year old son of former Turkmenistan President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, during their meeting on the sideline of the summit of Caspian Sea littoral states in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, Wednesday, June 29, 2022. (Grigory Sysoyev, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP)
Turkmenistan’s President Serdar Berdymukhamedov, right, and Russian President Vladimir Putin pose for a photo on the sidelines of the Caspian Sea littoral states summit in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, Wednesday, June 29, 2022. (Grigory Sysoyev, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP)
In this handout photo released by the Kremlin Press Service, Iran’s President Ebrahim Raisi attends the summit of Caspian Sea littoral states in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, Wednesday, June 29, 2022. (Kremlin Press Service via AP)
In this handout photo released by the Kremlin Press Service, Russian President Vladimir Putin, left, Turkmenistan’s President Serdar Berdymukhamedov, second left, Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev, center, Iran’s President Ebrahim Raisi, background right, and Kazakhstan’s President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, right, attend the summit of Caspian Sea littoral states in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, Wednesday, June 29, 2022. (Kremlin Press Service via AP)
Iran’s President Ebrahim Raisi, left, and Turkmenistan’s President Serdar Berdymukhamedov greet each other on the sideline of the summit of Caspian Sea littoral states in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, Wednesday, June 29, 2022. (Grigory Sysoyev, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP)
Russian President Vladimir Putin, left, and Turkmenistan’s President Serdar Berdymukhamedov, 40-year old son of former Turkmenistan President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, shake hands during their meeting on the sideline of the summit of Caspian Sea littoral states in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, Wednesday, June 29, 2022. (Grigory Sysoyev, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP)
Iran’s President Ebrahim Raisi attends the summit of Caspian Sea littoral states in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, Wednesday, June 29, 2022. (Grigory Sysoyev, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP)
Russian President Vladimir Putin, right, and Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev pose for a photo during their meeting on the sideline of the summit of Caspian Sea littoral states in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, Wednesday, June 29, 2022. (Mikhail Klimentyev, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP)
Russian President Vladimir Putin, right, and Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev talk to each other during their meeting on the sideline of the summit of Caspian Sea littoral states in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, Wednesday, June 29, 2022. (Mikhail Klimentyev, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP)
From the left: Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev, Iran’s President Ebrahim Raisi, Turkmenistan’s President Serdar Berdymukhamedov, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Kazakhstan’s President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev pose for a photo on the sideline of the summit of Caspian Sea littoral states in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, Wednesday, June 29, 2022. (Grigory Sysoyev, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP)
From the left: Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev, Iran’s President Ebrahim Raisi, Turkmenistan’s President Serdar Berdymukhamedov, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Kazakhstan’s President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev pose for a photo on the sideline of the summit of Caspian Sea littoral states in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, Wednesday, June 29, 2022. (Grigory Sysoyev, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP)
Russian President Vladimir Putin attends a meeting on the sidelines of the Caspian Sea littoral states summit in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, Wednesday, June 29, 2022. (Grigory Sysoyev, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP)
Russian President Vladimir Putin attends a meeting on the sidelines of the Caspian Sea littoral states summit in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, Wednesday, June 29, 2022. (Grigory Sysoyev, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP)
Russian President Vladimir Putin, left, and Turkmenistan’s President Serdar Berdymukhamedov, 40-year old son of former Turkmenistan President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, talk to each other during their meeting on the sideline of the summit of Caspian Sea littoral states in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, Wednesday, June 29, 2022. (Mikhail Klimentyev, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP)
Russian President Vladimir Putin, left, and Turkmenistan’s President Serdar Berdymukhamedov, 40-year old son of former Turkmenistan President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, talk to each other during their meeting on the sideline of the summit of Caspian Sea littoral states in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, Wednesday, June 29, 2022. (Mikhail Klimentyev, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP)
Russian President Vladimir Putin, left, listens to Turkmenistan’s President Serdar Berdymukhamedov, 40-year old son of former Turkmenistan President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, during their meeting on the sideline of the summit of Caspian Sea littoral states in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, Wednesday, June 29, 2022. (Grigory Sysoyev, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP)
Russian President Vladimir Putin, left, listens to Turkmenistan’s President Serdar Berdymukhamedov, 40-year old son of former Turkmenistan President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, during their meeting on the sideline of the summit of Caspian Sea littoral states in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, Wednesday, June 29, 2022. (Grigory Sysoyev, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP)
Turkmenistan’s President Serdar Berdymukhamedov, right, and Russian President Vladimir Putin pose for a photo on the sidelines of the Caspian Sea littoral states summit in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, Wednesday, June 29, 2022. (Grigory Sysoyev, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP)
Turkmenistan’s President Serdar Berdymukhamedov, right, and Russian President Vladimir Putin pose for a photo on the sidelines of the Caspian Sea littoral states summit in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, Wednesday, June 29, 2022. (Grigory Sysoyev, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP)
In this handout photo released by the Kremlin Press Service, Iran’s President Ebrahim Raisi attends the summit of Caspian Sea littoral states in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, Wednesday, June 29, 2022. (Kremlin Press Service via AP)
In this handout photo released by the Kremlin Press Service, Iran’s President Ebrahim Raisi attends the summit of Caspian Sea littoral states in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, Wednesday, June 29, 2022. (Kremlin Press Service via AP)
In this handout photo released by the Kremlin Press Service, Russian President Vladimir Putin, left, Turkmenistan’s President Serdar Berdymukhamedov, second left, Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev, center, Iran’s President Ebrahim Raisi, background right, and Kazakhstan’s President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, right, attend the summit of Caspian Sea littoral states in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, Wednesday, June 29, 2022. (Kremlin Press Service via AP)
In this handout photo released by the Kremlin Press Service, Russian President Vladimir Putin, left, Turkmenistan’s President Serdar Berdymukhamedov, second left, Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev, center, Iran’s President Ebrahim Raisi, background right, and Kazakhstan’s President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, right, attend the summit of Caspian Sea littoral states in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, Wednesday, June 29, 2022. (Kremlin Press Service via AP)
Iran’s President Ebrahim Raisi, left, and Turkmenistan’s President Serdar Berdymukhamedov greet each other on the sideline of the summit of Caspian Sea littoral states in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, Wednesday, June 29, 2022. (Grigory Sysoyev, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP)
Iran’s President Ebrahim Raisi, left, and Turkmenistan’s President Serdar Berdymukhamedov greet each other on the sideline of the summit of Caspian Sea littoral states in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, Wednesday, June 29, 2022. (Grigory Sysoyev, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP)
Russian President Vladimir Putin, left, and Turkmenistan’s President Serdar Berdymukhamedov, 40-year old son of former Turkmenistan President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, shake hands during their meeting on the sideline of the summit of Caspian Sea littoral states in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, Wednesday, June 29, 2022. (Grigory Sysoyev, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP)
Russian President Vladimir Putin, left, and Turkmenistan’s President Serdar Berdymukhamedov, 40-year old son of former Turkmenistan President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, shake hands during their meeting on the sideline of the summit of Caspian Sea littoral states in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, Wednesday, June 29, 2022. (Grigory Sysoyev, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP)
Iran’s President Ebrahim Raisi attends the summit of Caspian Sea littoral states in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, Wednesday, June 29, 2022. (Grigory Sysoyev, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP)
Russian President Vladimir Putin, right, and Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev pose for a photo during their meeting on the sideline of the summit of Caspian Sea littoral states in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, Wednesday, June 29, 2022. (Mikhail Klimentyev, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP)
Russian President Vladimir Putin, right, and Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev pose for a photo during their meeting on the sideline of the summit of Caspian Sea littoral states in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, Wednesday, June 29, 2022. (Mikhail Klimentyev, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP)
Russian President Vladimir Putin, right, and Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev talk to each other during their meeting on the sideline of the summit of Caspian Sea littoral states in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, Wednesday, June 29, 2022. (Mikhail Klimentyev, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP)
Russian President Vladimir Putin, right, and Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev talk to each other during their meeting on the sideline of the summit of Caspian Sea littoral states in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, Wednesday, June 29, 2022. (Mikhail Klimentyev, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP)
ASHGABAT, Turkmenistan (AP) — Russian President Vladimir Putin and the leaders of the other four countries along the Caspian Sea on Wednesday reaffirmed their shared commitment to keep foreign militaries out of the region.
The presidents of Russia, Iran, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan met in Turkmenistan’s capital, Ashgabat, for a summit to discuss regional cooperation and international issues.
In a communique after the meeting, they emphasized their agreement to bar any foreign militaries from the Caspian. They also underlined a pledge not to offer the territory of their nations for aggression against another littoral country.
The communique also emphasized the importance of cooperation in the military sphere between the Caspian nations.
In 2018, the five countries signed a convention for exploitation of the Caspian Sea resources that ended decades of uncertainty.
For Putin, Wednesday’s visit to Ashgabat came as part of his first foreign trip since Moscow launched its invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24. Putin visited the ex-Soviet nation of Tajikistan the previous day.
Wednesday’s summit came as NATO held its own summit in Madrid, declaring Russia the “most significant and direct threat” to its members’ peace and security and vowing to strengthen support for Ukraine.
Putin and other leaders didn’t mention the fighting in Ukraine at their public comments at the summit.