Uzbekistan in U.S. Foreign Policy

Abstract

The U.S. increased involvement in Uzbekistan, as part of the Greater Central Asia concept, reflects a long-term trend in Washington's policy aimed at countering China and weakening Russia. The primary focus of cooperation between the two countries is shifting to the economic sphere, as evidenced by bilateral agreements concluded in 2025. This has resulted in increased competition between Uzbekistan’s economic partners, among which China and Russia remain the leading ones. The entry of American businesses into key sectors of the economy of Uzbekistan, such as the extraction and processing of critical raw materials, nuclear energy, IT technology, the automotive industry, and others, creates additional instruments of American influence in the republic. Tashkent’s rationale for these actions stems from domestic economic objectives – the need to attract investment and technology for the development of key economic sectors. It is clear that the leadership of Uzbekistan will not fundamentally alter the main vectors of its policy, but will seek to extract maximum benefit from the increased competition among its foreign economic partners.