Zakharova stated that US interest in Central Asia is linked to resources
Maria Zakharova linked Marco Rubio's visit to Uzbekistan to the US interest in the region's resources. Tashkent's agreements with American companies are estimated at $12 billion.
Zakharova linked US interest in Central Asia to resources
The United States' interest in Central Asia is primarily driven by the region's resource potential. This opinion was expressed by the official representative of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Maria Zakharova, commenting on US Secretary of State Marco Rubio's visit to Uzbekistan.
As Zakharova noted, Washington's attention to this region persists regardless of changes in American administrations, although the degree of activity and methods of promoting interests may vary.
At a briefing, the representative of the Russian foreign ministry emphasized that, in her assessment, Central Asia is perceived by the US primarily as a source of access to resources, rather than a platform for joint development and investment cooperation.
Marco Rubio visited Samarkand, where he held meetings with representatives of five Central Asian countries within the C5+1 diplomatic format.
Following the trip, Uzbekistan and the US prepared a package of agreements totaling $12 billion. The agreements with American companies cover several areas, including banking services, payment systems, the stock market, satellite communications, healthcare, and agriculture.