What is likely Sen.Steve Daines’ last visit in an official capacity to the Caspian Basin region may turn out to be his most important.The Montana Republican, one of the most influential proponents in Congress of closer relations between the United States and countries in the Caucasus and Central Asia, is retiring when his senate term ends in January.
He recently completed visits to Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan, where he met with top leaders in all three states.The high-profile nature of Daines’ tour suggests that he was acting as a point-man for the Trump administration and that some weighty topics were discussed.
All involved, however, have remained tight-lipped about the substance of the discussions, their respective statements sticking to generalities about a desire to expand trade relations.A July 7 statement issued by the US Embassy in Azerbaijan, for example, noted that Daines joined “a growing list of senior US Government visitors who have come to Baku to promote closer US-Azerbaijan ties and advance the Strategic Partnership Charter signed by President [Ilham] Aliyev and Vice President [J.D.] Vance in February.” Meanwhile, Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev during his July 8 meeting with the senator underscored “the steady growth of trade, economic, and investment interaction between the two countries,” the official Kazinform news agency reported.
But several clues suggest that a long-planned trans-Caspian pipeline may have been the central item on Daines’ agenda.While short on details, the general messaging surrounding all his meetings was decidedly upbeat.
In Turkmenistan, Daines met with not only Serdar Berdymukhamedov, the country’s nominal president, but also with his father, Gurbanguly, who is widely acknowledge as the country’s paramount leader.
It is notable, then, that an official Turkmen statement emphasized Ashgabat’s readiness “to cooperate with the United States in such key areas as the fuel and energy sector, transport, the financial and banking sectors, advanced technologies and artificial intelligence.” The Turkmen statement also expressed appreciation for US support for the ongoing construction of a trans-Afghan pipeline that would enable the export of Turkmen gas to Pakistan and India.
A separate account of Daines’ meeting with Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov emphasized that the energy and transport sectors are the “key vectors for the development of cooperation.” Turkmenistan has long adopted a cautious approach on economic cooperation with the West, fearing that letting in outside influences could undermine the government’s ability to maintain a smothering, authoritarian political system.
But there have been growing signs in recent months that Turkmenistan wants to integrate into the Middle Corridor trade network.The construction of a trans-Caspian pipeline has been discussed for decades, but a variety of factors including territorial disputes, financing questions and Turkmenistan’s reluctance to fill any pipeline with its abundant natural gas reserves have kept plans on the drawing board.
In addition to Turkmenistan’s apparent warming to the idea of a trans-Caspian route, Kazakhstan of late has voiced interest in the concept.The disruption of Russian export routes caused by the Russian-Ukraine war is fueling Astana’s desire to diversify its options.
Earlier in 2026, Kazakh and Uzbek officials announced the discovery of massive new gas reserves in the Ustyurt Plateau area.The potential development of those gas fields could help ensure a trans-Caspian route’s profitability.