Uzbekistan and France Move to Expand Defense Partnership

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — Uzbekistan and France are deepening their defense relationship, with both sides signaling a shared push to broaden military cooperation and formalize regular dialogue on regional security.

TASHKENT — Viktor Makhmudov, Secretary of the Security Council under the President of Uzbekistan, held talks with Alice Roufiac, France's Minister-Delegate for the Armed Forces, the Uzbek government announced June 12.

The meeting centered on the current state and future trajectory of bilateral security cooperation. Officials reviewed defense ties across both operational and resource dimensions, acknowledging that inter-agency collaboration between the two countries has already produced substantive results.

Both sides expressed mutual interest in further expanding the partnership. Uzbekistan and France reaffirmed a shared commitment to deepening and broadening regular dialogue across the full spectrum of regional security and defense issues.

No specific agreements or joint programs were publicly disclosed following the meeting, though the tone of the official readout suggests the two governments are laying groundwork for a more structured defense engagement. The talks reflect Uzbekistan's continued effort to diversify its security partnerships beyond its immediate neighborhood, as European nations increase their diplomatic footprint in Central Asia.