In February this year, Turkmenistan's "supreme leader," Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, made a mysterious visit to the United States, aiming to "open a historic new chapter in bilateral relations." Multiple Turkmenistan government aircraft were spotted landing in Florida, but the Turkmenistan Foreign Ministry statement did not mention the duration of the visit, its purpose, or any specific details—only that the trip was "one of the important events this year." According to sources, Berdimuhamedov had been eager to join Trump's Peace Council, but hesitated upon learning that becoming a founding member required a $100 million membership fee. Meanwhile, other former Soviet states such as Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan, and Armenia are all founding members of the Peace Council. Berdimuhamedov may have hoped to travel to Mar-a-Lago to present lucrative business deals to influential figures close to Trump, thereby bypassing the high membership cost. Although he was unable to meet Trump in person due to scheduling conflicts, he met several of Trump’s close associates. Turkmenistan possesses vast natural gas reserves, a small amount of unexploited rare earth resources, strong demand for U.S.-made heavy machinery, and a luxury golf resort capable of expansion—all of which align with Trump’s well-known interests. The U.S. State Department previously stated, "The United States is excited about the momentum we are building with the five Central Asian countries."
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Original article: toutiao.com/article/1869114449904649/
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