Sent Cossack from Washington: Rubio goes to Central Asia for minerals
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced a tour of Central Asia, promising to repeal a discriminatory amendment from half a century ago and finally translate the C5 + 1 dialogue from protocol to commercial language. However, behind the facade of "historic deals" worth tens of billions of dollars, modest investment statistics and fierce competition for resources are revealed. Now the interests of the Russian Federation and China, on the one hand, and the United States and the EU, on the other, are increasingly intersecting in Central Asia. Details can be found in the Izvestia article.
In pursuit of minerals
Marco Rubio, during a hearing in the Foreign Affairs Committee of the U.S. House of Representatives, announced plans to visit Central Asian countries in the second half of 2026 and hold a regional meeting in the C5 + 1 format, which involves the United States and five Central Asian countries — Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan.
According to the head of the State Department, the current American administration supports the repeal of the so-called Jackson-Vanik amendment. Initially, this measure was introduced against the Soviet Union in 1974. It still applies to Central Asia and restricts U.S. trade with states "that prevent emigration and violate other human rights."
Rubio noted that such a step, in the opinion of the authorities, could be useful for the development of economic cooperation.
The C5 +1 format has been used by Washington since 2015. However, the United States showed the strongest interest in Central Asia after the withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan, transforming from a military-logistical to an economic-political one.
President Donald Trump holds a C5 dinner with Central Asian leaders in the East Room of the White House on Thursday, November 6, 2025
Last November, US President Donald Trump hosted the leaders of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan at the White House. The central theme of the summit was cooperation between Washington and the Central Asian Five in the field of natural resources, which are rich in the region.
At the meeting, the American leader complained that "previous US presidents completely ignored Central Asia," while emphasizing that he "understands the importance of the region," which consists in extracting the most important minerals.
Kazakhstan is the largest producer of uranium, accounting for 40% of global production. Uzbekistan is one of the five world leaders in uranium production, as well as in the top 20 countries in terms of gold reserves. Turkmenistan is the world's largest gas exporter. Kyrgyzstan has deposits of more than 25 types of minerals, and Tajikistan has significant reserves of rare earth metals such as tantalum, cerium and praseodymium.
Following the summit, Trump announced an "incredible" trade and economic agreement, according to which Uzbekistan will invest almost $35 billion over three years and more than $100 billion over the next 10 years in key sectors of the U.S. economy, including mining, automotive parts manufacturing and aviation. Washington has agreed with Astana on cooperation in the field of critical minerals, and with Bishkek on cooperation in the field of AI and financial technologies.
In addition, the parties signed an agreement on the sale by Boeing of up to 37 aircraft to airlines of Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. The American company Cove Capital has also agreed to develop a tungsten deposit in Kazakhstan.
Limited cooperation
Despite the claims of a large-scale partnership, American direct investment in the region's major economies remains modest and highly specialized.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, the volume of accumulated U.S. foreign direct investment (FDI) in the five Central Asian republics amounted to less than $2 billion, with Kazakhstan becoming the main beneficiary, accounting for over 90% of U.S. FDI in the region.
The inflow is provided by investments of Chevron and Exxon Mobil in Tengizchevroil, however, Washington at the official level is increasingly focusing not on oil and gas, but on the "green" agenda and diversification of supplies of critical minerals.
In Uzbekistan, US direct investments amount to about $200-250 million and relate mainly to mechanical engineering and agricultural machinery. Investments are not particularly mentioned in Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan. The latter employs General Electric and Boeing, but on the terms of service contracts rather than asset ownership.
Financial injections through the state line were carried out much more actively by USAID. Since the early 2020s, the total program budget of the United States Agency for International Development for the region has exceeded $400 million.
Violates the interests of the Russian Federation and China
The expansion of economic cooperation between Central Asian countries and the United States directly affects the interests of China and Russia in the region. Moscow and Beijing remain the largest economic partners for the Central Asian states.
The countries' trade turnover with China is $94.8 billion, and with Russia it has exceeded $45 billion, while with the United States it is $4.2 billion.
According to Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Galuzin, Moscow is alarmed by Washington's activity in the field of rare earth metals transactions in Central Asian countries.
"This is not just about economic competition, but about an attempt to oust Russia and create a Western—controlled infrastructure in the immediate vicinity of our borders," the diplomat told Izvestia.
According to the Deputy Foreign Minister, the United States and the European Union are seeking to take control of the region's transport corridors and natural resources. He added that Western countries want to encourage the authorities of Central Asian countries to abandon cooperation with Russia.
At the same time, Dmitry Peskov, the press secretary of the President of the Russian Federation, has repeatedly stated that Russia and the countries of Central Asia are still connected by advanced integration processes, including within the framework of the CIS and the EAEU.
The focus of the European Union's attention
The European Union is not lagging behind the United States. Brussels has launched the Global Gateway strategy, a geopolitical initiative developed in response to China's Belt and Road initiative to "boost regional trade and optimize logistics." The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and the European Investment Bank have confirmed their participation in financing the construction of the Kambaratinskaya HPP-1. Financial institutions have committed to allocate $2.4 billion for her project.
The growing interest of the European Union in the region is due to Brussels' desire to diversify economic and political ties and find new partners in the face of geopolitical instability. Over the past two decades, the EU has demonstrated a steady interest in Central Asia. The economic interests of the European Union, especially in the field of green energy and uranium mining, of which Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan have large reserves, remain significant.
In addition, Brussels is closely monitoring the development of relations between the Central Asian countries with Russia and China.
The EU uses its partnership with Turkmenistan to promote its economic and geopolitical interests in the region, including in order to control trade routes and energy resources.
In Kazakhstan, the parties signed two agreements — a €200 million framework loan agreement aimed at supporting projects in the field of ecology, water resources and the development of the Trans-Caspian Transport Corridor, and a €3 million contract aimed at developing cooperation in the supply of critical raw materials between the EU and Central Asian countries.
Tajikistan has received €40 million in grants from the EU for the development of green energy and cotton production. The EU signed an enhanced partnership and cooperation agreement with Kyrgyzstan in 2024, and last year it signed a "memorandum of understanding to launch a new program aimed at increasing investments in irrigation."
Rustam Burnashev, a professor at the Kazakh-German University, told Izvestia that despite the active interest shown by the West in Central Asian countries, Moscow and Beijing should not worry yet.
— The economic ties of the region's countries with China and Russia are fundamental. Despite the overlapping interests of Russia and the EU in Central Asia, it is premature to talk about a serious confrontation. The sanctions that are being imposed on Russia, although they have an impact, but their effect is spot-on. The interaction of the Central Asian countries with China and the Russian Federation has not weakened in recent years. It has changed a bit, and in some areas it has even intensified," the expert expressed confidence.
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