Trump Hosts Central Asian Leaders as U.S. Seeks to Counter China and Russia
U.S. President Donald Trump will host the leaders of five Central Asian nations at the White House on Thursday, aiming to strengthen Washington’s influence in a region historically dominated by Russia and increasingly courted by China.
The meeting comes amid growing global competition for Central Asia’s vast mineral and energy resources, as Western nations seek to diversify supply chains and reduce dependence on Moscow and Beijing.
Securing Critical Minerals and Trade Routes
The United States is pushing for new partnerships to access critical minerals, energy supplies, and strategic trade routes that bypass its geopolitical rivals. These efforts form part of a broader plan to ensure supply chain security and energy independence.
Since its launch in 2015, the C5+1 platform has served as a framework for cooperation between the U.S. and Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. The talks will focus on economic, energy, and security collaboration, with a formal dinner between President Trump and the regional leaders scheduled at the White House.
New U.S.–Kazakhstan Minerals Agreement
On Thursday, U.S. and Kazakh officials signed a memorandum of cooperation on critical minerals, according to Kazakhstan’s presidential news service. While no further details were disclosed, the agreement highlights Washington’s growing focus on securing rare earth elements and strategic resources vital for the green energy transition.
The White House has not yet commented on the report.
Expanding Strategic Influence
According to Gracelin Baskaran, a director at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), Washington’s strategy involves both government partnerships and private-sector investment to guarantee U.S. access to key resources.
“As China and Russia deepen their control over mining and infrastructure in the region, the U.S. aims to build a tangible foothold through targeted strategic projects,” she said.
The five Central Asian states remain heavily linked to Russia’s economy, while China has expanded its reach through massive infrastructure and mining projects.
Why Central Asia Matters
Home to around 84 million people, the region holds rich deposits of uranium, copper, gold, and rare earth minerals essential for clean energy technologies. Kazakhstan, the largest economy in Central Asia, produces nearly 40% of global uranium, while Uzbekistan ranks among the world’s top five suppliers.
Together, they account for more than half of global uranium output, a resource crucial to U.S. nuclear power — which provides a significant share of America’s electricity. With Russia still supplying about 20% of imported uranium, diversification has become an increasingly urgent U.S. objective.
Trump’s Push for Mineral Independence
Under Donald Trump’s administration, the U.S. has pursued a multi-pronged strategy to reduce reliance on China, which dominates global supply chains for uranium, copper, titanium, and rare earth elements. Beijing has occasionally restricted exports of these materials, intensifying Washington’s efforts to secure alternative and reliable sources worldwide.
