Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan Take Lead as US Deepens Central Asia Ties

Presidents Kassym-Jomart Tokayev of Kazakhstan and Shavkat Mirziyoyev of Uzbekistan joined US President Donald Trump and other Central Asian leaders at the White House for a landmark C5+1 summit, highlighting Washington’s renewed focus on the region’s strategic role.

The talks centred on energy transition, infrastructure and regional security, particularly Afghanistan’s stability, as the US seeks to strengthen economic and political links with Central Asia amid growing competition with China and Russia.

Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, the region’s largest and most reform-driven economies, are seen as key partners in advancing balanced diplomacy and attracting global investment. Both nations have pursued pragmatic engagement with Beijing, Moscow, Brussels and now Washington.

Analysts say the summit underscores Central Asia’s rise as a geopolitical crossroads and its growing ability to navigate between global powers on its own terms.

Kursiv Uzbekistan also reports that US President Donald Trump on Thursday emphasised critical minerals as a key priority during a White House summit with leaders from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan.