Pak PM Shehbaz Sharif gatecrashes into Putin–Erdogan meeting after being kept waiting for 40 minutes

A viral video shows Shehbaz Sharif entering a Putin–Erdogan meeting after waiting 40 minutes, drawing widespread ridicule over Pakistan’s diplomatic handling

PGurus Newsdesk

December 12, 2025

Pakistan slammed for yet another diplomatic misstep

Diplomatic misstep: Sharif attempts forced meeting with Putin after long delay

Pakistan’s diplomatic stature took a visible hit at an international forum in Turkmenistan after Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif was left waiting for Russian President Vladimir Putin — only to end up walking into a private meeting he was never meant to enter.

The incident occurred during the 30th anniversary celebrations of Turkmenistan’s permanent neutrality on December 12, where Sharif was scheduled for a bilateral meeting with Putin on the sidelines. Instead, the Pakistani Prime Minister waited 40 minutes in an adjacent room with Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, as the Russian leader failed to turn up.

Growing impatient and visibly uncomfortable, Sharif then walked straight into a closed-door meeting between President Putin and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan — a move widely seen as a desperate attempt to salvage even a brief interaction with the Russian leader.

Sharif reportedly stayed for barely ten minutes before leaving the room, making the episode even more awkward.

The moment, captured on video and shared by RT India, has since triggered widespread ridicule online. Social media users mocked Pakistan’s misstep, calling it yet another example of Islamabad’s diminishing global relevance. Comments such as “Putin does not want to waste his time on beggars” and “Even Trump did the same with these beggars” reflected the harsh tone of public reaction.

❗️🇵🇰 PM Sharif Waited For Over 40 Minutes For President Putin Before Growing Tired And Gate-crashing Russian Leader’s Meeting With Erdogan – RT Correspondent
He left ten minutes later. pic.twitter.com/tgUdPHT4eh
— RT_India (@RT_India_news) December 12, 2025

The forum itself was a significant diplomatic event for Turkmenistan, marking three decades of its UN-recognised permanent neutrality — a policy that bars the nation from military alliances and foreign bases. Leaders including Putin, Erdoğan, and Sharif were in attendance.

However, instead of strengthening Pakistan’s global standing, the episode ended up highlighting Islamabad’s diplomatic desperation and its rapidly shrinking influence on the world stage.

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