PM Shehbaz Sharif Accidentally Walks Into Putin–Erdogan Meeting After 40-Minute Wait in Turkmenistan

Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif was slated to hold talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday during an international forum in Turkmenistan marking 30 years of the country’s permanent neutrality. But the diplomatic schedule took an unexpected turn.

A video shared by RT India shows Sharif entering a closed-door meeting between Putin and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, after his own bilateral with the Russian leader was delayed. The clip, posted on X, was captioned: “Moment PM Sharif gate-crashed Putin’s meeting with Erdogan after waiting for 40 mins.”

According to reports, Sharif and foreign minister Ishaq Dar had been waiting for roughly 40 minutes. Growing impatient, the Pakistani premier walked into the room hoping for a brief exchange with Putin. He left about 10 minutes later.

What Was Happening Inside the Putin–Erdogan Talks?

On the sidelines of the Turkmenistan summit, Erdogan told Putin that efforts to end the Russia–Ukraine war remained critical, according to AFP. He suggested that “a limited ceasefire targeting energy facilities and ports in particular could be beneficial.”

His remarks came amid recent attacks on Russia-linked tankers in the Black Sea, some claimed by Ukraine. Ankara condemned the strikes, summoning both Russian and Ukrainian envoys and warning that the incidents marked a “worrying escalation.”

Turkey, which has sought to balance relations with both Moscow and Kyiv, controls the strategic Bosphorus Strait, a vital conduit for Ukrainian grain and Russian oil shipments to the Mediterranean.

According to Turkish officials, Erdogan and Putin discussed detailed peace efforts, as well as the European Union’s freezing of Russian assets. Erdogan also reiterated Turkey’s readiness to host peace talks “in any format,” Reuters reported.