Abstract. Recently, Turkey’s strategic orientation toward further expanding its footprint in Central Asia has become increasingly pronounced. This trend is even observable in Turkmenistan – a country that has traditionally maintained a measure of distance from intensive political dialogue under its “permanent neutrality” doctrine in favor of pragmatic economic collaboration with its partners. Domestic economic volatility, together with challenging dynamics in energy cooperation with China – the principal consumer of Turkmen gas, which in practice yields limited fiscal returns –  has compelled Ashgabat to continually seek more advantageous partners for diversifying its energy-export portfolio and unlocking the full potential of its national energy sector. In this strategic calculus, Turkey is regarded not only as a major trade and economic partner but also as a prospective transit corridor for Turkmen hydrocarbons bound for European markets. This article seeks to analyze the dynamics of Turkmen-Turkish relations in the post-bipolar era, to identify the underlying preconditions, “restraining factors” and internal motivations of each party that define the specific character of their bilateral engagement at the present stage.