U.S. Deepens Ties with Central Asia Amidst Shifting Geopolitical Landscape

When it comes to Eurasia, the Trump administration has acted quickly to reverse the foreign policy of its predecessor, underscored by moves to foster a rapid thaw in relations with Russia. But there is one Biden-era legacy that the Trump State Department seems intent on preserving, an initiative to increase US influence in Central Asia known as the C5+1 format. Secretary of State Marco Rubio emphasized the US interest in building up the C5+1 framework during a February 21 talk with Foreign Minister Bakhtiyor Saidov of Uzbekistan. According to a…