OTS Summit in Ankara: transport, digitalization and a proposal on Russia

Outcomes of the 13th Summit in Ankara

The Organization of Turkic States (OTS), which unites Turkey, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan, held its 13th summit in Ankara under Turkey's chairmanship, which took over the rotation from Azerbaijan. The meeting resulted in the Ankara Declaration, although no agreements were reached on the key unexpected proposal — Russia's participation, reports euronews.

The proposal on Russia was left without a decision

President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev proposed inviting Russia to participate in the organization through an 'OTS Plus' format or as an observer, 'to raise the status and authority of our Organization.' No agreement on Russia's participation was announced at the summit's conclusion. Tokayev also stressed that the OTS 'is not, and in the future must not become, a military alliance,' calling this Kazakhstan's position.

Uzbekistan's initiatives

President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev proposed the 'Turkic World — 100' program, comprising 100 strategic joint investment and industrial projects with an emphasis on technological cooperation: full processing of rare and strategic minerals, localization of equipment production for green energy, and the manufacture of high value-added products. He also advocated expanding international partnerships through an 'OTS Plus' format involving third countries, turning the Middle Corridor into an integrated economic system with jointly managed logistics hubs, a multilateral agreement on legal assistance in commercial matters, a Turkic Tourism Alliance, and simplified border crossings using national ID cards.

Transport and digital initiatives

Tokayev reported that cargo flow along the Middle Corridor, which connects Central Asia with Europe via the Caspian and the South Caucasus, grew by 30% in the first nine months of the year, transit shipments by 90%, and rail freight between Kazakhstan and OTS countries approached 40 million tonnes. For European markets, the route serves as an alternative to paths through Russia, although port capacity, border procedures and infrastructure gaps remain significant constraints. The Declaration noted the China — Kyrgyzstan — Uzbekistan railway and the proposed Trans-Afghan route, and called for a common strategy for transport corridors. President of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdogan emphasized practical cooperation: he proposed a common digital trade platform and a common Turkic large language model for the Oghuz, Kipchak and Karluk language groups. The Declaration welcomed the completion of the joint 12U CubeSat and the signing of a framework agreement on cooperation in the space sector, and called for advancing an agreement on cybersecurity and consultations on establishing an OTS Cybersecurity Council.

Bilateral meetings and personnel decisions

On the eve of the summit, Erdogan held separate talks with the presidents of Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan. Turkey and Uzbekistan signed agreements on establishing a High Council for Business Support, expanding preferential trade, cooperation in social protection, and the exchange of customs information. With Tokayev, the Turkish leader confirmed the ambition to raise bilateral trade turnover to $15 billion (about €13.5 billion). Azerbaijan was represented at the summit by Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov, who stated that 'de facto, a state of peace exists in the region,' but that Azerbaijan expects the necessary political and legal steps from Armenia toward signing a peace treaty. President of Kyrgyzstan Sadyr Japarov proposed linking the China — Kyrgyzstan — Uzbekistan railway to the Middle Corridor and holding an informal OTS summit on August 5–6, 2027. President of Turkmenistan Serdar Berdimuhamedov declared readiness to use the infrastructure of the Turkmenbashi port to expand Caspian transit. The new Secretary General of the OTS is Mirvohid Azimov of Uzbekistan, who succeeded Kubanychbek Omuraliev, and the next meeting in 2027 will be hosted by Uzbekistan.