The race for the Eurasian “Heartland” is on, and a US-hosted summit on November 6 is the latest move in the intense contest for Central Asia.
President Donald Trump is set to meet the five regional leaders, according to the Kazakh and Kyrgyz governments. This signals a new level of American engagement.
The summit is part of a broader “scramble” for influence. With Russia’s dominance questioned post-Ukraine, the US, China, and the EU are all competing for partnerships.
The C5 region is a key strategic prize, rich in natural resources and critical for the development of new East-West trade routes.
The Central Asian leaders are skillfully navigating this competition, seeking to balance the superpowers to their own economic and political advantage.