Uzbekistan Leverages Russia's Need for Allies, Secures Discounted Gas

Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin’s two-day visit to Uzbekistan highlights the limits of the Kremlin’s geopolitical leverage these days. Mishustin arrived with high hopes of drawing Uzbekistan closer into Russia’s orbit, but he left with little of substance. Uzbekistan and other Central Asian states have walked a fine line since Russia launched its unprovoked invasion of Ukraine in early 2022, striving to remain on the sidelines of the conflict without riling the Kremlin and provoking Russian leader Vladimir Putin into…