Uzbekistan-Russia cooperation now multilevel, wide-ranging - Uzbek PM

TASHKENT. June 16 (Interfax) - Russian-Uzbekistani relations are at a new stage of development, not least thanks to personal contacts between the two countries' presidents, Uzbek Prime Minister Abdulla Aripov said.

"Today Russian-Uzbek strategic partnership and alliance are at a new stage of their development, taking on a qualitatively new meaning. As Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev noted, to Uzbekistan, Russia is more than a regional neighbor; it is our time-tested strategic partner and ally," Aripov said, opening talks with Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin in Tashkent on Tuesday.

The cooperation between Russia and Uzbekistan "has today become multilevel and wide-ranging," Aripov said.

"Of course, this has been achieved primarily thanks to the firm political will and the trustful relations between our heads of state," he said, noting that Mirziyoyev and Russian President Vladimir Putin have already met twice over the past month.

One of the meetings took place on the sidelines of the St. Petersburg international economic forum, Aripov said.

"Russia was and remains our key partner and is Uzbekistan's second largest trading partner. Our trade has more than tripled over ten years, topping $13 billion, while in January-April, the figure rose by a further 20.5% to $4.5 billion," Aripov said.

Currently, the portfolio of joint projects stands at $47 billion and $1.5 billion in Russian investment has already been spent since the start of 2026, he said. "The main task is to maintain this momentum and employ the existing potential to the fullest," Aripov said.