U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced plans to visit all five Central Asian countries next year, as President Donald Trump prepares to host their leaders in Washington for talks focused on energy and mineral cooperation.
Rubio made the announcement on Wednesday during a reception at the State Department, part of a broader Trump administration initiative to deepen ties with the resource-rich region, adding the visits could be during a week-long regional tour.
The upcoming meeting in Washington will bring together the presidents of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan for discussions expected to focus on rare earths and other strategic resources.
Rubio said U.S. and Central Asian interests are aligned in developing the nations’ vast natural wealth.
"You are looking to take the resources ... that God has blessed your nations with, and turn them into responsible development that allow you to diversify your economies," he said.
Building momentum for economic partnerships
Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau noted that Trump’s invitation to the five leaders reflected the president’s personal effort to strengthen U.S. engagement in Central Asia. Landau and Sergio Gor, the U.S. ambassador to India and Trump’s special envoy to Central Asia, travelled to Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan last week to prepare agreements to be unveiled during the leaders’ visit.
“The opportunities are amazing - business opportunities. Many ways to partner there,” Landau said, emphasising prospects in energy, infrastructure, and trade.
The five Central Asian countries have long maintained close economic relations with both Russia and China, shaped by geography, trade, and infrastructure ties. Moscow remains a major destination for labour migration and energy exports, while Beijing has invested heavily in transport corridors and industrial projects through its Belt and Road Initiative.
The United States is now seeking to expand its engagement with the region, focusing on critical minerals, energy cooperation, and economic diversification. Officials describe the effort as a step toward balanced and mutually beneficial partnerships.
Republican Senator James Risch, who also spoke at the event, said he would introduce a bill this week to repeal the Cold War-era Jackson–Vanik amendment, which restricts U.S. trade with non-market economies. The move could pave the way for stronger economic engagement with Central Asian countries as Washington seeks new partners in a shifting global trade landscape.
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A renewed wave of U.S. diplomatic activity in the South Caucasus highlights Washington’s growing focus on regional connectivity, trade and security, according to Associate Professor George Mchedlishvili of European University in Tbilisi.
Kyrgyzstan has signed a series of cooperation agreements with China and Belarus at the Fifth Forum of Regional Leaders of Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) member states, underlining the country's growing economic engagement within the regional bloc.
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Kazakhstan has reiterated that no existing route can replace the Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC), which carries more than 80% of the country's crude oil exports through Russia to the Black Sea.
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