Uzbekistan and Russia have agreed to deepen cooperation in agriculture, energy and food security following high-level meetings held during the St Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF) 2026.
Deputy Prime Minister Jamshid Khodjayev met Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Patrushev to discuss the further development of cooperation in agriculture and food security.
The meeting followed recent concerns raised by Russia's Federal Service for Veterinary and Phytosanitary Surveillance (Rosselkhoznadzor) over fruit and vegetable imports from Uzbekistan. The agency briefly published a notice announcing restrictions on imports from several Uzbek exporters before later withdrawing the statement and initiating technical consultations with Uzbek authorities.
Despite the dispute, both sides reaffirmed their commitment to maintaining stable trade flows and strengthening veterinary and phytosanitary cooperation. Discussions focused on improving quarantine controls, expanding monitoring mechanisms and ensuring compliance with updated export requirements.
Russia remains one of Uzbekistan's key agricultural partners. Bilateral trade in agricultural and food products reached $2.3 billion in 2025, while trade turnover exceeded $500 million in the first quarter of 2026.
According to Khodjayev, cooperation in the agricultural sector should continue to develop on the basis of long-term predictability, mutual benefit and practical solutions for businesses in both countries.
Energy cooperation was another major focus of the talks. During a meeting with Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak, the parties discussed supplies of oil and petroleum products, including motor fuel, aviation fuel and feedstock for Uzbekistan's oil refineries.
The Uzbek delegation also held separate meetings with the leadership of Gazprom, Rosneft and Gazprom Neft. Discussions covered natural gas supplies, industrial cooperation and opportunities for joint projects in the energy sector.
According to Gazprom, the company continues to ensure reliable gas deliveries to Uzbekistan, including during periods of peak winter demand. The parties also discussed broader issues related to energy security and the long-term development of bilateral cooperation.
The energy agenda gained additional significance when Presidents Shavkat Mirziyoyev and Vladimir Putin officially launched construction of the first power unit of Uzbekistan's integrated nuclear power plant in Jizzakh region.
The symbolic pouring of the first concrete marked the official start of construction and granted the project the status of a nuclear facility under construction in accordance with International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) standards.
The integrated nuclear power plant will combine two large-scale VVER-1000 reactors with a capacity of 1 gigawatt each and two small modular RITM-200N reactors with a capacity of 55 megawatts each. According to Uzbek officials, this configuration has no direct equivalent elsewhere in the world.
The project's base cost is estimated at $9.5 billion. Russia will support implementation through a preferential export credit, while state nuclear corporation Rosatom will supply nuclear fuel, provide technical maintenance and manage spent nuclear materials.
The first power units are expected to be commissioned between 2029 and 2035. Uzbek authorities have described the project as a major step towards strengthening energy security, supporting industrial development and creating a new high-technology sector in the national economy.
The agreements reached during SPIEF 2026 underscore the growing strategic importance of Uzbek-Russian cooperation across agriculture, energy and infrastructure as both countries seek to expand long-term economic partnerships.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi called for setting up a foolproof public examination system in the country on Tuesday, a day after supporters of t...
Georgian officials have returned from Rotterdam with new ideas for multimodal logistics, but after years of delays, the Anaklia Deepwater Port still f...
Iran's Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) said it had struck U.S.-linked military sites in Kuwait and Bahrain, claiming damage to air defences and radar sys...
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi called for setting up a foolproof public examination system in the country on Tuesday, a day after supporters of the youth-led "cockroach" movement and police clashed as they marched on parliament to protest against question paper leaks.
Iran's Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) said it had struck U.S.-linked military sites in Kuwait and Bahrain, claiming damage to air defences and radar systems, as U.S. forces carried out a 10th consecutive night of strikes on Iran. The IRGC also said two oil tankers caught fire in the Strait of Hormuz.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has called for a thorough investigation into the death of a Moroccan man during his arrest in Bologna, while also condemning violent clashes that broke out during a protest over the incident and left dozens of police officers injured.
A family of six, including four children, has been killed after an Israeli airstrike hit their home in Gaza City, underscoring the continuing violence despite a ceasefire that has formally remained in place for more than nine months.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top news stories for the 20th July, covering the latest developments you need to know.
At least six people were killed and 21 others injured after two earthquakes struck Peru's central Junín region, destroying dozens of homes and triggering a major emergency response.
Kylian Mbappé has become the first player to win the FIFA World Cup Golden Boot on more than one occasion. The French forward won the award presented to the top goalscorer of the tournament for the second time, despite France being knocked out in the semi-finals.
The United States launched fresh strikes against Iran after two U.S. service members were killed in Jordan. U.S. President Donald Trump paid tribute to the fallen troops as Iran warned of further escalation.
Overnight U.S. strikes caused blackouts in southwestern Iran and hit the northwestern city of Tabriz for the first time. Separately, a U.S. soldier died in northern Iraq during a controlled detonation of an unexploded Iranian drone.
Georgian officials have returned from Rotterdam with new ideas for multimodal logistics, but after years of delays, the Anaklia Deepwater Port still faces significant challenges before it becomes a reality.
A family of six, including four children, has been killed after an Israeli airstrike hit their home in Gaza City, underscoring the continuing violence despite a ceasefire that has formally remained in place for more than nine months.
Lebanese soldiers have begun patrolling the southern town of Zawtar al-Gharbiyeh after Israeli forces withdrew from the area, in the first major test of a U.S.-brokered plan aimed at restoring Lebanese state control over parts of the country's south.
Türkiye has taken a new technical step to facilitate direct trade with Armenia as part of the ongoing normalisation process between the two countries.
Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev met a leading representative of German business Monday evening during an official Berlin visit. Talks with Michael Harms, Chairman of the Eastern Committee of the Germany Economy, focused on trade, energy cooperation and transport links between Europe and Asia.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment