A notable diplomatic incident occurred during an international forum in Turkmenistan, celebrating the nation’s 30 years of UN-recognized permanent neutrality. Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif experienced an unexpected delay while awaiting a scheduled meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Reportedly, Sharif and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar waited for approximately 40 minutes in an adjacent room. Growing impatient, the Pakistani Prime Minister inadvertently entered a closed-door session between President Putin and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. This moment was captured in a video circulating online.
Sharif’s intention appeared to be securing at least a brief interaction with President Putin. He is thought to have remained in the meeting for about ten minutes before departing. The footage of the incident quickly garnered widespread attention on social media platforms, leading to various interpretations and criticisms.
Another video segment showed Sharif and his delegation looking increasingly restless while seated next to an empty chair marked with a Russian flag, underscoring the extended wait for Putin’s arrival. The discomfort during the prolonged delay was apparent.
The summit itself focused on Turkmenistan’s established policy of permanent neutrality, a status affirmed by the UN General Assembly in 1995. This policy guides the Central Asian country to refrain from military alliances, avoid external conflicts unless for self-defense, and prohibit foreign military installations.
The brief and unplanned entry into the high-level discussion between the Russian and Turkish leaders was widely perceived as a diplomatic misstep, sparking considerable online commentary. Despite this moment, the forum’s main agenda concerning Turkmenistan’s neutral standing continued as scheduled.