The Organization of Turkic States (OTS), long perceived as a regional “cultural club,” positioned itself in 2025 as an effective geopolitical instrument aimed at strengthening the strategic agency of Turkic-speaking nations in Central Asia and the South Caucasus—an evolution with clear implications for reducing Russia’s influence.
A key milestone in this transformation was the 12th OTS Summit, held on 7 October 2025 in Gabala, Azerbaijan.
Convened under the motto “Regional Peace and Security,” the summit concluded with the Gabala Declaration and the decision to establish a special coordination mechanism for OTS transport, energy, and security projects. The meeting represented a deliberate effort by Ankara and Baku to convert “cultural-ethnic affinity” into practical levers of influence—from trade and logistics to “soft security.”
During the past two years, transportation and logistics have become the primary domain of integration. At the core lies the Trans-Caspian International Transport Corridor (the Middle Corridor/TITR), linking China and Southeast Asia to Europe via Kazakhstan, the Caspian Sea, Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Türkiye—deliberately bypassing Russian territory.
In 2024, the Middle Corridor set a new record, posting a 62% increase in cargo flow (including container traffic), reaching 4.5 million tons. In 2025, the number of block trains continued to grow. Kazakhstan, in parallel, has expanded railway capacity toward the Trans-Caspian route, framing it as an alternative to Russian transit.
Strengthening transport connectivity and integrating logistics chains has become a strategic priority for the OTS. The organization is focusing on consolidating the Trans-Caspian route, harmonizing tariffs, simplifying customs procedures, and promoting joint investments in ports and railways. Importantly, the OTS logistics agenda increasingly aligns with European interests, as Brussels views new Turkic routes as part of its energy-security strategy and a substitute for Russian corridors.
Alongside logistics, the OTS energy pillar is solidifying through closer coordination among Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, and potentially Turkmenistan across Caspian routes. Azerbaijan has, in recent years, secured its role as the key energy and transit hub of the South Caucasus, connecting Caspian resources with Turkish and European infrastructure. This creates long-term competition to Russia’s oil and gas corridors and strengthens the bargaining positions of Baku, Astana, and Ankara alike.
Recent decisions by Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan highlight this trend: both sides are scaling up their strategic partnership within the “Middle Corridor + OTS” framework, driving consolidation across the Turkic space. Overall, bilateral initiatives within the OTS increasingly acquire a “supranational” character—projects are no longer viewed in isolation but as components of a broader Turkic strategy.
For Türkiye, the OTS represents a crucial tool of geopolitical projection—from cultural-linguistic affinity to expanded economic and security cooperation (military exercises, training programs, defense exports, police missions), particularly amid Russia’s weakening due to the war in Ukraine.
Against the backdrop of OTS strengthening, 2025 also saw important regional developments reinforcing Central Asia’s political agency outside Russia’s sphere of influence.
One of the most consequential events of the year—alongside the Gabala Summit—was the 7th Summit of Central Asian Leaders, held in Tashkent on 16 November 2025. There, the leaders of Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, and Azerbaijan publicly announced their transition from a “consultative format” to the establishment of the Community of Central Asia.
In his speech, Uzbekistan’s President Shavkat Mirziyoyev proposed the creation of a permanent secretariat, a system of national coordinators, and a Council of Elders for conflict resolution and engagement with youth and diaspora communities—effectively signaling institutionalization of the regional bloc.
Especially noteworthy is Azerbaijan’s role. Positioned at the crossroads of the North Caucasus and the Caspian, Azerbaijan was not merely an invited guest but a full participant, bridging the Turkic and Central Asian vectors within the emerging political architecture. In Tashkent, leaders aligned their priorities in security, ecology, trade, and youth cooperation. The summit became a clear demonstration of the region’s shift toward more balanced relations with Ankara, Baku, and Beijing.
Also significant in 2025 is the revival of the Termez Dialogue and other initiatives that enhance cooperation between Central and South Asia—complementing the OTS by forming a network of alternative partnerships in trade, energy, and security. The OTS provides Ankara, Baku, Astana, and Bishkek with a shared vision and a common platform for shaping their own regional agenda.
Taken together, these processes create a favorable foundation for the OTS to evolve into a new geopolitical reality—one that reaches far beyond its original regional scope.
Oleksandr Kovalenko, military analyst (Kyiv)
