A race for influence is underway in Central Asia. Since the outbreak of the war between Russia and Ukraine, the leaders of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan have intensified their contacts with other countries under the "C5+1" format. US President Donald Trump will, for the first time on Thursday, in Washington, meet with the leaders of the five former Soviet republics in Central Asia, months after his summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin and then with Chinese leader Xi Jinping. The West is showing increasing interest in this resource-rich region, where traditional Russian influence has been challenged since the start of the war in Ukraine, and where China plays a major role. Washington and the European Union have stepped up their efforts.
