Deals, Not Declarations: U.S.–Central Asia Cooperation at Summit Crossroads

The summit comes at a pivotal moment geopolitically; Russia remains consumed by its war in Ukraine, whilst China continues to expand its Belt and Road footprint across Eurasia

A landmark summit between the United States and the five Central Asian republics is scheduled for November 6 in Washington, D.C., bringing together the presidents of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. It will be the second leaders-level C5+1 meeting with a U.S. president—the first took place on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in 2023—and the first time the format is hosted in the U.S. capital. The gathering also marks the 10th anniversary of the C5+1 diplomatic platform that connects Central Asia with Washington.

The summit comes at a pivotal moment geopolitically; Russia remains consumed by its war in Ukraine, whilst China continues to expand its Belt and Road footprint across Eurasia. As the region’s strategic importance grows, both the United States and the Central Asian states see an opportunity to recalibrate their relationships, each approaching the meeting with distinct priorities and expectations.

Washington’s Agenda: Critical Minerals and Connectivity

For the United States, this summit is about converting diplomatic engagement into tangible deliverables. Officials want to see results in three main areas: critical minerals, regional connectivity, and security coordination. Congress and the administration view the region’s reserves of antimony, tungsten, uranium, and rare earth elements as essential to securing U.S. supply chains. During his October 2025 visit to Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau emphasized expanding cooperation on critical minerals and trade diversification. The Trump administration has prioritized these resources as part of a broader effort to reduce dependence on China.

Trade routes are also in focus. The U.S. supports the Middle Corridor, a trans-Caspian route that links Central Asia with the South Caucasus and Europe. Infrastructure investments that bypass Russia are strategically important, and Washington wants to help harmonize customs and logistics to make that corridor more viable. These priorities form part of a wider push to anchor the region in transparent, market-based supply chains that connect Central Asia more directly with Western markets.

Kazakhstan: Trade Normalization and Resource Investment

Central Asia’s largest economy, Kazakhstan is expected to push for permanent normal trade relations with the U.S. The country still faces Cold War-era restrictions under the Jackson-Vanik amendment – as do Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan – with Astana long having viewed its repeal as a key milestone. That push has taken on new importance after Washington imposed a 25% tariff on Kazakh imports in mid-2025 – though Kazakh exports were exempted shortly thereafter – a move viewed by officials in Astana as inconsistent with efforts to expand economic cooperation.

Kazakhstan is also looking to the U.S. for support in developing its mineral wealth. President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev’s government is actively mapping new rare earth deposits, and Washington has recently backed a private American bid to reopen Kazakhstan’s long-idle tungsten mine at Upper Kairakty, underscoring growing U.S. interest in Central Asia’s critical minerals sector. The two sides are also expanding industrial ties: in September 2025, Astana signed a $4.2 billion deal with U.S. rail manufacturer Wabtec to modernize Kazakhstan’s locomotive fleet and develop regional transport corridors connecting Central Asia to Europe via the Caucasus.

Kazakhstan hopes these agreements will attract further American investment and help it position itself as a reliable partner in critical minerals supply chains. At the same time, officials are likely to raise concerns about export license delays that have affected imports of American technology. Streamlining those procedures is a priority as Kazakhstan looks to modernize its industries.

Uzbekistan: Economic Reform and Tech Access

Uzbekistan enters the summit with strong momentum. Since 2016, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev has embarked on a sweeping reform agenda, liberalizing trade, opening markets, and courting foreign investment after decades of economic isolation. Tashkent is now seeking deeper U.S. engagement in strategic sectors such as energy, advanced manufacturing, and information technology.

American firms have already committed billions of dollars to Uzbek projects, and Tashkent expects this trend to intensify. One concrete goal is improved access to U.S. technology – Uzbek officials have lobbied Washington to streamline export-control procedures that have delayed high-tech imports. The summit may provide the platform to advance those regulatory changes. As previously reported by The Times of Central Asia, deals signed during Mirziyoyev’s recent visit to New York included major contracts with firms such as Boeing and a proposed infrastructure partnership with BlackRock, signaling Tashkent’s intent to follow a multi-vector foreign policy.

Connectivity is also high on the agenda. Uzbekistan is pushing for expanded trade corridors to Europe and South Asia. With its youthful population and growing tech sector, Uzbekistan is also seeking extended educational and professional exchanges with the U.S. These aims dovetail with Washington’s stated broader agenda of promoting regional integration and economic resilience within the C5+1 framework.

Kyrgyzstan: Infrastructure and Stability

Kyrgyzstan’s economy continues to expand, but high inflation, debt pressure, and dependence on unstable remittances leave it exposed to external shocks. Against this backdrop, Bishkek could seek U.S. support for infrastructure and development financing. President Sadyr Japarov’s government wants to improve trade flows and cross-border logistics, especially along the corridor linking Bishkek to Almaty. A smoother Ak-Jol/Korday border crossing would directly benefit Kyrgyz exporters.

Hydropower remains one of Kyrgyzstan’s strongest prospects for cooperation with the United States. The country generates more than 90% of its electricity from water, but continues to face chronic shortages due to aging infrastructure and seasonal imbalances. Bishkek may therefore look for U.S. investment and technical expertise to help modernize key facilities, including the Toktogul and Kambarata hydropower plants, and expand regional power exports. According to the U.S. State Department, “The Kyrgyz Republic’s abundant hydropower resources offer opportunities for investment in energy production and regional electricity exports.”

Although Kyrgyzstan remains deeply integrated with Russia through labor migration and trade, it is quietly pursuing a more balanced foreign policy. Even limited U.S. financing or technical partnerships announced at the summit would help Bishkek demonstrate its commitment to multi-vector diplomacy while addressing pressing development needs at home.

Tajikistan: Security and Energy

Tajikistan enters the summit with clear security and development priorities. Sharing a 1,300-kilometer border with Afghanistan, it faces persistent threats from cross-border trafficking and the Islamic State Khorasan group. Dushanbe could seek renewed U.S. assistance for border surveillance and counter-terrorism training, programs that previously formed the core of bilateral security cooperation but have received less emphasis in recent years. The Tajik government has repeatedly warned that instability in northern Afghanistan could spill into its territory.

Economic interests are just as pressing. Tajikistan is one of the world’s leading producers of antimony, a critical mineral used in batteries and semiconductors, and is also promoting lithium and uranium to signal broader mining-sector appeal. Officials could seek to attract U.S. investment to modernize extraction and processing facilities that still rely on Soviet-era technology. They also want financing to complete the massive Rogun hydropower dam on the Vakhsh River, a flagship project that could turn Tajikistan into a net electricity exporter once fully operational.

Though Tajikistan remains closely tied to Russia through remittances and security pacts, President Emomali Rahmon is cautiously diversifying partnerships. The C5+1 summit offers Rahmon a rare opportunity to expand economic cooperation and reaffirm Tajikistan’s relevance in regional diplomacy beyond Moscow’s orbit.

Turkmenistan: Gas Exports and Quiet Diplomacy

Turkmenistan remains the most opaque participant at the summit. The country’s official policy of neutrality has long kept it at arm’s length from most multilateral initiatives, yet President Serdar Berdimuhamedov’s decision to attend signals an interest in new energy opportunities.

Natural gas dominates Turkmenistan’s economy, with more than 80% of exports going to China through existing pipeline routes. Ashgabat has periodically revived discussions of a Trans-Caspian Gas Pipeline linking its fields to Azerbaijan and onward to European markets, a project Washington previously supported for decades as part of efforts to diversify Europe’s supply. As reported by The Times of Central Asia, renewed European demand for non-Russian gas and improved Caspian infrastructure could make the idea politically feasible again.

The summit may also offer Ashgabat an opportunity to expand engagement beyond energy. Turkmenistan and the United States have recently begun exploring cooperation in digital connectivity and infrastructure, including plans for a Trans-Caspian fiber-optic link that would reroute regional internet traffic away from Russian networks. Even a modest U.S. statement endorsing feasibility studies or financing options would be seen in Ashgabat as a diplomatic success.

Beyond Symbolism

Each Central Asian country is looking for something different, but they share one goal: expanding their options. With Russia under sanctions and China increasing its dominance, the region is eager to avoid overdependence. The U.S. also has something to prove, having lost strategic leverage in Central Asia after withdrawing from Afghanistan in 2021. Now, Washington may want to show that it can offer value beyond security cooperation.

If the summit delivers concrete outcomes – such as investment deals, new energy or transport initiatives, or even just a permanent forum for technical talks – it could mark a new phase in U.S. relations with countries that are no longer passive players in geopolitics but are actively asserting their agency, balancing partners, and seeking the best deals.

Whether Washington can deliver will shape how Central Asia defines its future partnerships and whether the C5+1 becomes a serious diplomatic platform.

By the Times Of Central Asia.

Image: TCA, Aleksandr Potolitsyn.

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