Leaders from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan are set to convene with EU counterparts in Samarkand this week for an unprecedented summit, marking a decisive pivot by Central Asian nations towards Europe amid shifting global alliances, according to Euronews.
The two-day gathering, starting on Thursday, underscores the EU’s push to secure reliable partners for trade, energy, and geopolitical stability.
Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, hosting the event, hailed the summit as a “historic chance to elevate Central Asia-EU ties to a new level.” Trade between the bloc and the region has surged fourfold since 2017, reaching €54 billion annually, with over 1,000 EU-funded firms now operating in Uzbekistan alone.
Kyrgyz Deputy PM Edil Baisalov echoed the sentiment, calling the meeting a “watershed moment” for nations seeking “reliable partners in a fractured world order.”
A centrepiece of cooperation is the proposed Green Strategic Corridor, a transport network linking Central Asia to Europe via the Caspian and Black Seas. The initiative aims to channel renewable energy resources, including Uzbek solar and Kazakh wind power, to EU markets while diversifying Europe’s energy imports away from Russian fossil fuels.
The summit reflects Brussels’ strategy to deepen ties with resource-rich Central Asia as China’s Belt and Road Initiative expands. EU officials view the region’s critical minerals–vital for green tech–as key to reducing dependency on China.
For Central Asia, the summit represents a bold step toward balancing ties with major powers while carving out a more autonomous global role.
