Rubio Visits Central Asia to Build New American Ties

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio traveled to Samarkand, Uzbekistan, on Monday to meet with leaders from five Central Asian countries. The trip was meant to help the United States build stronger relationships in a region that often gets overlooked. Rubio brought more than 200 American business leaders with him, hoping to open new doors for trade.

Rubio met with the foreign ministers of Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan during the morning meetings. Later in the day, he planned to have dinner with Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev and attend a business event. The Trump administration sees Central Asia as an important area because it sits between Russia, Iran, and China.

One big reason the U.S. is paying attention to Central Asia is its supply of rare earth minerals. These are special materials used to make things like smartphones, electric cars, and military equipment. The U.S. wants fair access to these resources so American companies can compete globally.

When Rubio arrived at Registan Square — a historic site featuring stunning blue-tiled buildings from the ancient Timurid Empire — his hosts put on a grand welcome. Hundreds of pigeons were released into the sky, and local pop music filled the large open space. Two women wearing traditional gold-and-black outfits called chopons presented him with a bouquet of flowers.

Some reporters asked Rubio why he was visiting Uzbekistan instead of focusing on other urgent world problems, like the ongoing war in Ukraine. Rubio explained that foreign trips are too often only about solving immediate crises, and that building long-term friendships also matters. He said, 'You're always visiting someplace where there's a crisis or there's a problem,' and wanted this trip to be different.

There are signs that some Central Asian countries are moving closer to the United States. Kazakhstan recently joined the Abraham Accords, a group of U.S.-led agreements that help Muslim-majority countries build ties with Israel. On Monday, Uzbekistan signed the Artemis Accords, a U.S.-led agreement about peaceful space exploration and sharing space resources.

Still, all five countries also keep strong ties with Russia, China, and Iran. Rubio said he understands this, noting that countries want to have as many relationships as possible. He said Uzbekistan has been clear that it wants to be friends with everyone, not just the United States.