Rubio to Visit All Five Central Asian States in 2026 as Trump steps up Regional Outreach
WASHINGTON: U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Wednesday he plans to visit all five Central Asian countries next year, part of a renewed Trump administration effort to deepen engagement with the resource-rich region.
The announcement came as Rubio met the foreign ministers of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan at the State Department, ahead of a high-profile White House summit on Thursday where President Donald Trump will host all five Central Asian presidents.
The discussions are expected to focus on rare earth minerals and other strategic resources in the region, which remains economically tied to Russia and increasingly influenced by China.
โAligned Interestsโ on Natural Resources
Speaking at a reception with the ministers, Rubio said the United States shared the regionโs ambition to harness its natural wealth responsibly.
โYou are looking to take the resources that God has blessed your nations with, and turn them into responsible development that allows you to diversify your economies,โ Rubio told the gathering.
He said he intended to visit each of the five countries in the coming year.
โAll five,โ Rubio said, adding that it would likely require a week-long trip. โWeโve got to work on that and make that happen together.โ
Trumpโs Push for Closer Ties
Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau, who also spoke at the event, said Trumpโs invitation to the five leaders reflected the presidentโs personal push to engage more actively with Central Asia.
Landau and Sergio Gor, the U.S. ambassador to India and Trumpโs special envoy for Central Asia, visited Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan last week to lay the groundwork for agreements expected to be unveiled during the leadersโ visit.
โThe opportunities are amazing โ business opportunities, many ways to partner there,โ Landau said.
Congressional Initiative on Trade
Republican Senator James Risch, addressing the same reception, announced plans to introduce legislation to repeal the JacksonโVanik trade restrictions, Cold Warโera rules that limit U.S. trade with non-market economies.
Rich in minerals and energy, the five predominantly Muslim nations of Central Asia have remained closely linked to Moscow since the breakup of the Soviet Union in 1991, even as Beijingโs commercial footprint across the region has expanded.
