Tula Region and Uzbekistan Expand Bilateral Cooperation

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — The Governor of Russia’s Tula Region, Dmitry Milyaev, held a working meeting with a delegation from Uzbekistan led by Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador Botirjon Asadov. The discussions focused on the current state and future prospects of bilateral cooperation.

The regional governor noted that since 2022, engagement between the Tula regional government and the Uzbek embassy has been regular and has become a stable practice. He emphasized that relations between Tula Region and Uzbekistan are marked by stability and benefit from high-level dialogue, with leaders of both countries repeatedly highlighting the strategic and allied nature of their partnership.

In 2025, the foreign trade turnover between the region and Uzbekistan reached US$41.2 million, a 31.2% increase compared to the previous year. Cooperation spans the chemical industry, engineering, metallurgy, and the defense sector, as well as cultural, educational, and humanitarian areas.

Ambassador Asadov noted the growing activity of Tula delegations in Uzbekistan, including participation in the international industrial exhibition “Innoprom.” He highlighted that bilateral relations have expanded significantly due to initiatives from both countries’ leadership, giving additional momentum to partnership development.

First Deputy Governor and Chairman of the Tula Regional Government, Mikhail Panteleev, reported that exports from the region to Uzbekistan in 2025 approached US$30 million, a 35% increase. Key exports included food products, raw materials, chemical products, machinery, and metals. Imports from Uzbekistan reached nearly US$12 million, growing more than 20%, including textiles, footwear, food products, and mineral goods.

Tula enterprises, supported by regional authorities, regularly participate in exhibitions in Uzbekistan. In education, more than 300 Uzbek students study at universities in the region.

Uzbek labor migrants also play a significant role in the regional economy, with over 13,500 citizens working in construction, agriculture, and services in Tula Region.

Cultural exchanges are a key focus, with nine cooperation agreements signed between Russian and Uzbek cultural institutions over the past three years. In 2026, joint events are planned, including participation of Uzbek producers in the “Gingerbread Day” festival, student concerts and workshops, and negotiations on touring exchanges between theaters in the two countries.