The US president is set to host a key summit with the leaders of the five “Stans” of Central Asia, signaling a renewed American focus on the strategically vital region. The meeting is planned for November 6.
According to statements from the Kazakh and Kyrgyz governments, their presidents will attend. The participation of the other three leaders remains unconfirmed.
This US-hosted event is the latest in a “battle of summits,” with China, Russia, and the EU all holding similar meetings in recent months. Each power is jockeying for diplomatic and economic advantage.
The region is rich in natural resources, from oil to rare earths, and its 80 million people are part of a coordinated push to become a key logistics corridor.
The war in Ukraine has accelerated this trend, prompting the former Soviet states to seek a wider array of partners beyond their traditional ally, Russia.
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