Why Washington is cementing its position in Central Asia

“Donald Trump himself said that the U.S. government had unjustifiably paid too little attention to Central Asia, and that this lack of focus was a major mistake for America. Recently, he also spoke about the need to restore the Bagram Air Base in Afghanistan. All of this shows that U.S. interest in the region has significantly increased,” Tukumova noted during the podcast.

“A special representative for Central Asia has been appointed, and we see more frequent visits by delegations, including investment missions. This is a clear signal: U.S. interest in the region is gaining momentum, and they intend to play a more active role in shaping regional policy. The region is also strategically important in relation to Iran - a key direction. So, in every respect, deeper U.S. involvement in cooperation with Central Asia and participation in regional processes fully aligns with their national interests. For us, it is equally important to reduce risks in the future: we cannot rely on a single partner, we must diversify cooperation and promote new partnerships,” she stressed.

“Another important question is which Central Asian country the U.S. president will visit first. This is actively discussed. We’ll see. But the essence lies not so much in which country he chooses for the first visit, but what concrete agreements can be reached during his trip to the region,” she concluded.