Video: Pakistan PM Gatecrashes Putin-Erdogan Closed-Door Talks After 40-Minute Wait

Hoping to secure at least a brief interaction with the Russian president, Sharif walked into the venue where Putin and Erdoğan were engaged in bilateral discussions. He is believed to have left roughly ten minutes later.

A diplomatic awkward moment unfolded in Turkmenistan during an international forum marking the 30th anniversary of the country’s UN-recognised permanent neutrality. Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who was scheduled to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin on the sidelines of the event, found himself in an unexpected situation after a prolonged delay.

According to a video posted by RT India, Sharif inadvertently stepped into a closed-door meeting between President Putin and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. The Pakistani leader had reportedly been waiting in an adjacent room with Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar for around 40 minutes before growing visibly impatient.

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Hoping to secure at least a brief interaction with the Russian president, Sharif walked into the venue where Putin and Erdoğan were engaged in bilateral discussions. He is believed to have left roughly ten minutes later.

The incident, captured on camera, quickly circulated on social media, where users mocked the move as a diplomatic blunder. One user on X wrote, “Putin does not want to waste his time on beggars,” while another remarked, “Even Trump did the same with these beggars.”

Another RT India clip showed Sharif sitting next to an empty chair adorned with a Russian flag, appearing increasingly frustrated as he and his delegation awaited Putin’s arrival. Their discomfort was evident as the delay continued.

The forum itself highlighted Turkmenistan’s long-standing neutral status, which was unanimously endorsed by the UN General Assembly on 12 December 1995. The policy commits the Central Asian nation to avoiding military alliances, staying out of conflicts except in self-defence, and generally prohibiting foreign military bases on its territory.

Sharif’s brief and unexpected entry into the Putin–Erdoğan meeting was widely viewed as a moment of miscalculation, prompting swift online commentary. Nevertheless, the official programme proceeded as planned, focusing on Turkmenistan’s unique position as a permanently neutral state.