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

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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…