On 22–23 June, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Olexandr Mischenko paid a working visit to the Republic of Tajikistan.

As part of the visit, political consultations between the Foreign Ministries of Ukraine and Tajikistan were held in Dushanbe on 22 June. The Ukrainian delegation was headed by Olexandr Mischenko, while the Tajik delegation was led by Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Tajikistan Nigina Alizoda. Victor Mayko, Ambassador of Ukraine to the Republic of Kazakhstan and Special Representative of the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Ukraine for Central Asia, also took an active part in the negotiations.

Before the consultations, Olexandr Mischenko was received by Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Tajikistan Sirojiddin Muhriddin. During the meeting, the Ukrainian side handed over a congratulatory letter from Minister for Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Andrii Sybiha on the occasion of Tajikistan’s National Unity Day.

During the political consultations, the parties discussed the current state and prospects for the development of Ukrainian-Tajik relations, in particular the intensification of political dialogue, expansion of trade and economic cooperation, development of interregional cooperation, as well as deepening cooperation in the humanitarian, educational, consular and legal spheres, including coordination within international organizations.

Olexandr Mischenko thanked the Tajik side for its consistent support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine and briefed his counterparts on the current security situation in Ukraine amid the ongoing Russian aggression.

Close attention was paid to strengthening Ukraine’s cooperation with the states of Central Asia and developing an equal and mutually beneficial partnership with Tajikistan in particular. The Tajik side positively noted the establishment of a separate Central Asia Department within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine and the appointment of Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Ukraine to the Republic of Kazakhstan Victor Mayko as Special Representative of the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Ukraine for Central Asia, which reflects Ukraine’s growing attention to the development of relations with the countries of the region.

During the consultations, the parties also noted significant potential for deepening trade and economic cooperation, particularly in the areas of industry, energy and agriculture.

The Ukrainian side separately emphasized the growing strategic importance of Central Asia for global logistics, trade and energy connectivity. In this context, Olexandr Mischenko stressed that Ukraine welcomes the consistent deepening of cooperation between the European Union and the states of the region, including Tajikistan, which opens up additional opportunities for the development of bilateral trade and logistics links.

The parties also discussed the further development of the legal framework between Ukraine and Tajikistan, current consular issues, as well as prospects for cooperation in the field of education, including the possibility of expanding the presence of Ukrainian higher education institutions in Tajikistan.

The Ukrainian side separately emphasized the importance of coordinating efforts within international organizations in order to uphold the principles of international law and the UN Charter, as well as to counter the consequences of Russian aggression.

Following the consultations, the parties confirmed their readiness to further strengthen Ukrainian-Tajik political dialogue, develop practical economic cooperation and maintain regular contacts between the Foreign Ministries of the two states.

On the first day of the visit, a meeting was also held with the Ukrainian community. Deputy Minister Olexandr Mischenko  and Special Representative Victor Mayko briefed the participants on the current situation in Ukraine and answered questions of concern to Ukrainians in Tajikistan. An important part of the meeting was also the commemoration of Taras Shevchenko through the laying of flowers at his monument on the premises of the Embassy of Ukraine in the Republic of Tajikistan.

A separate meeting was held with the Director General of the Avesta News Agency, during which the parties discussed the current situation in the media space of Tajikistan and the Central Asian region as a whole.

As part of the second day of the visit, on 23 June, Olexandr Mischenko and Victor Mayko held a meeting with Deputy Minister of Energy and Water Resources of the Republic of Tajikistan Manuchehr Bakhrdur Safarzoda. The parties discussed prospects for the development of bilateral cooperation in the energy sector, particularly in the context of restoring Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, exchanging experience in hydropower and implementing joint projects. The Ukrainian side separately informed its counterparts about the consequences of Russian attacks on Ukraine’s energy sector and emphasized the importance of strengthening international support for its recovery.

The Ukrainian side also held negotiations with Deputy Minister of Economic Development and Trade of the Republic of Tajikistan Ahliddin Nuriddin Nuriddinzoda. During the meeting, the parties discussed prospects for intensifying trade and economic cooperation, expanding bilateral trade, as well as opportunities to involve Tajik businesses in Ukraine’s recovery projects. Particular attention was paid to the development of cooperation in the areas of agriculture, logistics and infrastructure.

Special attention during the meetings at the relevant ministries was paid to preparations for the next meeting of the Joint Ukrainian-Tajik Intergovernmental Commission on Trade and Economic Cooperation as an important mechanism for developing bilateral cooperation. Following the meetings, the parties agreed on an algorithm of interaction for preparing and holding the seventh meeting of the Commission.