A new “Great Game” is unfolding in real-time, with the US, China, and Russia all vying for the hearts and minds of Central Asia’s five nations. The latest move is a planned US summit on November 6.
President Donald Trump is set to host the C5 leaders, according to the presidents of Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan. This follows similar high-level meetings hosted by Beijing and Moscow.
The region has become a hotbed of geopolitical competition. Russia’s influence, once taken for granted, has been deeply challenged by its actions in Ukraine.
This has opened the door for the US and EU to offer alternative partnerships, and for China to expand its already significant economic footprint.
The C5 nations are leveraging this interest, seeking investment to tap their vast natural resource wealth and to build their region into a crucial hub for East-West commerce.
