Trump Administration - The Times Of Central Asia

Viewing results 1 - 6 of 105

Trump Administration

U.S. to Host “Board of Peace” Meeting on February 19

The United States plans to host a meeting this month of the “Board of Peace” that President Donald Trump set up. The attendance list is still in the works, and there is no word yet on whether the leaders of Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, which are among more than two-dozen member countries, will attend the gathering in Washington on February 19. Kazakhstan's President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and his Uzbek counterpart Shavkat Mirziyoyev traveled to Davos, Switzerland, last month to join Trump for the signing ceremony of the board, which supporters say is aimed at resolving Gaza and other conflicts around the world. There are concerns, however, that the international mechanism could undermine the United Nations, and critics question the sweeping power that Trump holds over the board, as chairman with veto power and no term limits. The White House plans to hold the meeting in Washington, D.C. to support implementation of the Gaza cease-fire deal and raise funds for reconstruction of the territory, the Axios news outlet has reported. It said planning is in the early stages and could change. Axios attributed the information to a U.S. official and diplomats from several countries that are on the board. Other media organizations also reported on the planned meeting this month. President Javier Milei of Argentina will attend the meeting, according to the Argentine government. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán is also expected to attend. The involvement of Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan in the Board of Peace reflects their goals of playing a more robust role on the international stage as well as the expanding relationship, particularly centered around trade and investment, between the United States and Central Asia. Azerbaijan is also among the countries that signed up to join the Board of Peace. Some traditional U.S. allies, including in Europe, have not joined the U.S.-led organization, partly because of concerns over the board structure. Additionally, their relations with Washington have frayed over tariffs, U.S. plans to take over Greenland, and other issues.

U.S.-Kazakhstan Relations

Tokayev Praises Trump’s ‘Common-Sense’ Governance, Backs U.S.-Led Peace Initiatives

Kazakhstan’s President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has offered rare and explicit praise for the domestic and foreign policies of U.S. President Donald Trump, describing him as a strong leader whose governance model prioritizes national interests, law and order, and pragmatic diplomacy. In an exclusive interview with The News International during his visit to Islamabad, President Tokayev described President Trump’s leadership as “forward-looking,” pointing to what he characterized as strong economic performance and ongoing transformative reforms in the social sphere in the United States. “President Trump is a strong and forward-looking leader who puts the national interests of his country first,” Tokayev said, pointing to what he described as strong economic performance and transformative reforms in the social sphere. He added that Trump’s emphasis on law and order resonated with Kazakhstan’s own governance philosophy, which prioritizes compliance with the law and respect for state institutions. Tokayev said that in an increasingly complex global environment, governments must ensure internal stability by enforcing the rule of law. “All citizens must comply with the law and respect law-enforcement agencies while avoiding any obstruction,” he noted, drawing a direct parallel between Washington’s and Astana’s domestic policy approaches. Support for the Abraham Accords The Kazakh president also defended his country’s decision to join the Abraham Accords, an initiative launched during Trump’s presidency to normalize relations between Israel and several Muslim-majority countries. Describing the accords as “a truly forward-looking initiative,” Tokayev said Kazakhstan’s participation reflects its long-standing commitment to peace, stability, and international dialogue. He stressed that diplomacy remains the most effective instrument for resolving conflicts and fostering long-term regional and global stability. While reaffirming Kazakhstan’s strong relations with Israel, Tokayev underscored that Astana continues to support the Palestinian people and advocates a two-state solution. From a national interest perspective, he said, joining the Abraham Accords creates opportunities to attract foreign investment, advanced technologies, and concrete economic benefits. He also expressed hope that Kazakhstan’s accession would help broaden Arab–Jewish rapprochement into a wider Muslim–Judaic dialogue. Board of Peace and the UN Framework Addressing criticism surrounding the newly established Board of Peace, which he co-founded with Pakistan’s prime minister, amongst others, Tokayev rejected claims that the initiative seeks to undermine the United Nations. He said President Trump had personally emphasized that the Board of Peace is designed to complement, not replace, the United Nations, which he acknowledged is currently facing institutional strain. Tokayev highlighted that the initiative implements United Nations Security Council Resolution 2803, reinforcing the principle that peace efforts must combine international legitimacy with effective leadership. According to Tokayev, the Board of Peace aims to deliver swift and practical outcomes through flexible mechanisms for conflict resolution, positioning it as a pragmatic addition to existing global peace architectures. Gaza and the Limits of Diplomacy On the prospects for peace in Gaza, Tokayev offered cautious realism. He said proposals put forward by U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and senior adviser Jared Kushner appeared ambitious, structured, and grounded in development-oriented thinking. However, he warned that no plan can succeed without genuine political...

Critical Minerals

Rubio Hosts Critical Minerals Meeting; Central Asia Is Key to U.S. Vision

The United States welcomed delegations from dozens of countries to a meeting in Washington, D.C. on Wednesday that was aimed at strengthening and diversifying supply chains for critical minerals. With large reserves of these minerals, Central Asia is emerging as a key player in U.S. plans to secure components deemed necessary for advances in technology, economic development, and national security. "I don’t need to explain to anybody here that critical minerals are vital to the devices that we use every single day,” U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in his opening remarks at the minister-level conference. “They power our infrastructure, our industry, and our national defense… Our goal is to have a global market that's secure, a global supply that's enduring and is available to everyone, every nation, at an affordable price.” U.S. Vice President JD Vance also spoke at the event, saying the United States wants to form a trading bloc among allies and partners that expands production of critical minerals in an environment of stable prices and supply chains immune from disruption. “By regulating imports to preserve free and fair competition within the preferential trading zone, we will elevate our nation’s miners and refiners, our investors and producers alike,” Vance said. “We are all on the same team, and we need to create the economic incentives that reward people for investing and building in our countries.” The United States is seeking to counter China’s dominance of the critical minerals market. China is a key trading partner for Central Asia, whose countries aim to diversify their relationships among the major powers. Foreign Minister Yermek Kosherbayev of Kazakhstan was among those slated to attend the critical minerals conference in the United States. The visit follows intensifying discussions involving the United States and Central Asian countries on how to develop trade and investment. On Wednesday, business leaders and government officials from Central Asia and the United States gathered in Kyrgyzstan’s capital, Bishkek, for the start of the second B5+1 Business Forum. Explore our critical minerals special coverage for a timeline of Central Asia’s growing place in U.S. supply-chain strategy.

B5+1

B5+1 Forum Opens as U.S. Companies Expand Economic Footprint in Central Asia

Business leaders and government officials from Central Asia and the United States gathered in Kyrgyzstan’s capital on February 4 for the start of the second B5+1 Business Forum. Co-organized by the Kyrgyz government and the Center for International Private Enterprise (CIPE), the event is intended to bring together private companies, business associations, officials, and experts interested in expanding U.S.–Central Asia commercial ties. More than 50 U.S. companies are participating in the event. The B5+1 is the business-track counterpart to the C5+1 diplomatic format that links the United States with Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. The B5+1 brings companies and policymakers together to identify barriers to investment and propose cross-border regulatory changes. This week’s meeting in Bishkek follows the inaugural B5+1 forum held in Almaty on March 14–15, 2024, which drew more than 250 stakeholders from across Central Asia and the United States. It produced 21 private-sector recommendations aimed at easing trade, improving regulations, and building regional economic integration. The Bishkek agenda is built around reviewing progress on those recommendations and setting priorities for the next phase of work. Central Asian officials have used the event to signal interest in region-wide coordination rather than country-by-country deals. In comments made in Bishkek, Kazakhstan’s Minister of Industry and Construction, Ersaiyn Nagaspaev, emphasized that foreign investors increasingly assess Central Asia as a single market, reflecting a push to align regulations and investment conditions across borders. Nagaspaev noted that more than 600 U.S. companies currently operate in Kazakhstan. Kyrgyzstan, meanwhile, used the forum to highlight domestic economic performance within that regional context. In a speech at the forum, Kyrgyzstan’s First Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers, Daniyar Amangeldiev, said Kyrgyzstan’s economy grew by 11.1% in 2025, which he described as one of the highest growth rates in the region. Addressing the forum, U.S. Special Envoy for South and Central Asia Sergio Gor stated that the United States intends to expand its economic engagement with Central Asia. “The private sector, not intergovernmental agreements, will become the key instrument of interaction," he told those in attendance, identifying electronic commerce, artificial intelligence, critical minerals, agriculture, and transport infrastructure as priority areas. Gor noted that the American companies present at the forum represent the largest and most comprehensive U.S. commercial delegation ever to visit Central Asia. The U.S. recognizes the importance of Central Asia in global trade and connectivity, he stated. "The United States is open for business. We're open for peace. We're opening to strengthen our ties around the world. So that’s why it's fitting that the first C5 event in 2026 is this B5 + 1 forum,” Gor said, linking the Bishkek discussions to economic commitments made at the C5+1 summit in Washington in November 2025. “The Transport Corridor for Peace and Prosperity will provide reliable connectivity from Central Asia through the South Caucasus to global markets,” Gor said. “This is a historic opportunity to strengthen economic integration and long-term prosperity across the region.” During his visit to Bishkek, Gor also met with Kyrgyz President...

Jackson-Vanik Amendment

Jackson-Vanik Repeal Gains Momentum as U.S. Courts Central Asia

For many years, U.S. relations with Central Asia were primarily political in nature, while economic ties developed slowly. However, in the past year, engagement has intensified significantly, with recent agreements suggesting the U.S. is poised to strengthen its economic presence in the region. A recent statement by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio reinforces this outlook. Calls to repeal the outdated Jackson-Vanik trade restrictions have been framed by U.S. officials as a way to facilitate trade with Central Asia and strengthen U.S. energy security. The Jackson-Vanik Amendment The Jackson-Vanik Amendment, enacted in 1974, restricts trade with countries that limit their citizens’ right to emigrate. At the time of its passage, Central Asia was still part of the Soviet Union. The amendment prohibits granting most-favored-nation (MFN) status, government loans, and credit guarantees to countries that violate their citizens’ right to emigrate, and allows for discriminatory tariffs and fees on imports from non-market economies. The amendment was repealed for Ukraine in 2006, and for Russia and Moldova in 2012. However, it remains in effect for several countries, including Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan, which continue to receive only temporary normal trade relations. In May 2023, a bill proposing the establishment of permanent trade relations with Kazakhstan, which included repealing the Jackson-Vanik Amendment, was introduced in the U.S. Congress. A follow-up bill with similar provisions was submitted in February 2025. Then-nominee and now Secretary of State Marco Rubio previously noted that some policymakers viewed the amendment as a tool to extract concessions on human rights or to push Central Asian states toward the U.S. and away from Russia. However, he characterized such thinking as outdated, stating that, “In some cases, it is an absurd relic of the past.” Rubio has consistently supported expanding U.S. ties with Central Asia. Expanding Cooperation In 2025, relations between the U.S. and Central Asia deepened significantly, particularly with Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, which are seen by analysts as the primary beneficiaries of this cooperation. In late October 2025, U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau and U.S. Special Representative for South and Central Asia Sergio Gor visited Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. One of the year’s major events was the Central Asia-U.S. (C5+1) summit held in Washington on November 6. Leaders of the five Central Asian states met with President Donald Trump and members of the U.S. business community. Uzbekistani President Shavkat Mirziyoyev also met with U.S. Senator Steve Daines, co-chair of the Senate Central Asia Caucus, with both sides focusing heavily on economic cooperation. At the summit, Uzbekistan finalized major commercial agreements with U.S. companies, including aircraft orders by Uzbekistan Airways and deals spanning aviation, energy, and industrial cooperation. Kazakhstan signed agreements worth $17 billion with U.S. companies in sectors including aviation, mineral resources, and digital technologies. This included a deal granting American company Cove Kaz Capital Group a 70% stake in a joint venture to develop one of Kazakhstan’s largest tungsten deposits, an agreement valued at $1.1 billion. Further agreements were signed on critical minerals exploration. Kazakhstan and the...

Central Asia-U.S. Relations

Astana and Tashkent Engage Washington’s Central Asia Vector

On January 22 at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Kazakhstan’s President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and Uzbekistan’s President Shavkat Mirziyoyev signed President Donald Trump’s new Board of Peace charter. The document matters less than what their participation signifies: recognized access to the White House and a willingness to be publicly associated with a U.S.-led initiative. This is all the more significant as Washington’s relations with several long-standing partners have recently become more fraught and publicly contested. The Central Asian response is part of that story. Their participation indicates that the Trump White House regards them as interlocutors of consequence, and that both Central Asian capitals are embracing that status. On December 1, Washington assumed the G20 presidency for 2026 and set three priorities: limiting regulatory burdens, strengthening affordable and secure energy supply chains, and advancing technology and innovation. It has also scheduled the leaders’ summit for December 14–15, 2026, in the Miami area. On December 23, Trump said that he was inviting Tokayev and Mirziyoyev to attend as guests. That invitation places Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan inside a host-defined agenda whose working tracks overlap with their strongest external bargaining assets, including energy, critical minerals potential, and transport connectivity. Trump publicly tied the invitations to discussions of peace, trade, and cooperation, which is in line with his subsequent Board of Peace invitations. Diplomatic Logic and Multi-Vectorism It is worthwhile situating these developments in the context of Central Asian cooperation, which Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan have driven as the regional core. At the August 2024 Consultative Meeting in Astana, all five leaders signed a Roadmap for the development of regional cooperation for 2025–2027, and adopted a “Central Asia 2040” conceptual framework. Tokayev and Mirziyoyev referenced their 2022 allied-relations agreement and announced plans to adopt a strategic partnership program through 2034, including large-scale joint economic and energy projects. Moscow’s preoccupation with the war in Ukraine has widened the room for maneuver by other external actors, and Central Asian capitals have pursued these opportunities selectively. For example, the EU’s then foreign-policy chief Josep Borrell visited Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan in early August 2024, Japan has pursued its “Central Asia plus Japan” line as a counterweight to China’s influence, and Azerbaijan has been building an energy bridge between Central Asia and Europe via the South Caucasus with Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. Washington’s main channel into this complex is the C5+1, and the current U.S. emphasis is to create routines that survive individual summits. The U.S. Special Envoy for South and Central Asian Affairs Sergio Gor and Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau travelled to Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan in October 2025 ahead of the Washington summit that Trump hosted the following month for the five leaders. Such formats can concentrate attention on the implementation of standardized procurement procedures and regularized dispute resolution that new supply-chain corridors require for interoperable paperwork and predictable customs treatment. Kyrgyzstan is scheduled to host the second B5+1 forum (the business counterpart to C5+1) on February 4–5, 2026. This has already been prepared by a joint briefing...