The key facts

  • Rubio held talks in Samarkand with Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan
  • The delegation includes nearly 300 American companies; agreements worth billions of dollars announced
  • China is the main trading partner of all five countries in the region; Rubio then travels to India

Talks in Samarkand

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio arrived in the Uzbek city of Samarkand on Sunday evening and on Monday held talks with the leaders of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. As part of a delegation that includes numerous business executives, he visited Samarkand's old city and then held a series of bilateral meetings with the region's leaders. The leaders of the five former Soviet republics met with President Donald Trump at the White House last November.

Rubio's statements

'The United States wants to be a strong partner in Central Asia,' Rubio told journalists, adding that 'nearly 300 American companies' had come with the delegation and that there was an opportunity to sign 'agreements worth billions of dollars' that would enrich the countries of the region and bring economic benefits to the United States. Before departing, he called relations with the countries of the region important. A senior State Department official told journalists on Friday that the visit demonstrates US goodwill and a 'deepening of partnership across Central Asia,' especially in the energy sector.

Context: competition with China and Russia's influence

According to AFP, the United States seeks to strengthen ties in the resource-rich region, where China has become a key competitor. The Central Asian countries remain tied to Russia through energy pipelines, security networks and migration links, but Russian influence has weakened since the start of the invasion of Ukraine. China is now the main trading partner of all five states: Chinese companies have signed a number of energy deals — to buy natural gas in Turkmenistan, uranium in Kazakhstan and rare earth metals in Tajikistan.

Next — India

After Uzbekistan, Rubio will travel to India — his second visit to the country this year — with stops in Mumbai and Jamnagar in the state of Gujarat, both major port cities. US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor was born in Uzbekistan and also serves as US special envoy for Central Asia. A second senior US official said the sides are 'very close' to a trade agreement, negotiations on which have been underway for several months. In February, a preliminary agreement was reached to reduce US tariffs on Indian goods, but litigation in the US over Trump's tariffs creates uncertainty about when the bilateral deal will take effect. US-India relations were also shaken when Trump imposed 25 percent tariffs on Indian goods in response to Delhi's purchases of Russian oil, but those tariffs were subsequently lifted.

Context of the trip

According to AFP, amid the US war with Iran and the inability to stop Russia's invasion of Ukraine, Rubio has intensified his foreign travel — he recently visited Europe and Latin America, leaving conflict resolution and the midterm elections to Trump. Rubio himself, however, emphasized the strategic importance of the current tour.