The Central Asian region is an important arena for American interests

It is noted that for thousands of years, whoever controlled the Silk Road controlled the wealth and influence in the Central Asian region. Alexander the Great, Genghis Khan, and Tamerlane were among the great figures who left an indelible mark on the region, according to American political analyst Joseph Epstein in a report published by the American magazine “National Interest.”

Epstein, a senior fellow at the Yorktown Institute and a research fellow at the Begin-Sadat Center for Strategic Studies at Bar-Ilan University, added, “Today the legacy of the Silk Road provides a different kind of opportunity, which is the opportunity for diplomacy.”

Epstein said, “US President Donald Trump could become the first US president to visit Central Asia, proving that America is ready to play a pivotal role in the region for the first time since its independence from the Soviet Union in 1991.”

Central Asia, once neglected, is now receiving attention, as its vast mineral wealth and strategic location make it an important arena for American interests.

As the leaders of Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Kyrgyzstan gather in Washington to attend the P5+1 summit, a presidential visit to the region will indicate that the United States is committed to being a major player in shaping its economic and geopolitical future.

The Central Asian region is constantly seeking to gain the attention of the United States, and both Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan recently signed deals worth billions of dollars with American companies to purchase aircraft and locomotives produced by Boeing.

These agreements, which were signed on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly meetings, were widely seen as an attempt to attract the attention of President Trump. Although Azerbaijan is not technically located in Central Asia, it is considered a major player in regional integration and has also strengthened its outreach to Washington.

Both Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev’s joint peace summit with Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan in Washington, setting aside previous mediators such as Russia and the European Union in August, and Baku’s willingness to consider joining a US-backed stabilization force in Gaza, both show interest in establishing closer ties with the United States.

Azerbaijan has emerged as a communication center in the region, whether through geography or diplomacy, and Baku, sandwiched between Russia and Iran, is located in the heart of the Middle Corridor, which connects Central Asian markets and energy routes to Europe.

For these countries, a deeper engagement with Washington is consistent with their multi-directional foreign policy in which they maintain balanced relations between global powers, to avoid dependence on any one of them alone. Epstein explains that for years the United States was not part of this equation, and its involvement in the region was mostly centered around concerns related to human rights and the promotion of democracy.

In contrast, Trump’s pragmatic, business-first approach in Central Asia is seen as straightforward and devoid of ideological theories.

The war in Ukraine has multiplied opportunities for mutually beneficial cooperation, and Moscow’s influence has eroded while it remains mired in the quagmire of conflict, while Beijing has filled a large part of the vacuum.

In 2023, China will overtake Russia as the largest trading partner for the Central Asian region, but the region’s leaders are fully aware of the dangers of over-reliance on Beijing, which range from debt-trap diplomacy to diminishing sovereignty.

For Washington, the benefits of close cooperation are clear. While China has a monopoly on the rare earths market, the United States urgently needs alternative sources. Central Asia offers significant reserves and existing mining infrastructure inherited from the Soviet era, and the region is eager to take advantage of this advantage.

But the strategic value of the Central Asian region is not limited to important minerals, as the region contains vital trade corridors linking East Asia with Europe, which provides opportunities for Washington to diversify its supply chains as well.

Central Asia anchors the trans-Caspian international transport route – the Middle Corridor – which connects East Asia to Europe, while bypassing Russia and Iran.

The corridor offers a strategic alternative to the Suez Canal and northern railway routes through Russia, especially amid the transformation of global supply chains and geopolitical realignment. A presidential visit to the region would be an indication that the United States is serious about engaging in the region. Presence is important, and US adversaries like Russia and China understand this.

Trump’s visit will show that the United States has the intention to be a pivotal player in the future of the region, and not to stand by and watch.