THE C5+1 SUMMIT OF NOVEMBER 2025: ENSURING US-CENTRAL ASIA RELATIONSHIP AND THE NEW STRATEGIC LEADERSHIP OF UZBEKISTAN.

Ne’matillo Xasanov

683

ResearchBib IF - 11.01, ISSN: 3030-3753, Volume 2 Issue 11

THE C5+1 SUMMIT OF NOVEMBER 2025: ENSURING US-CENTRAL ASIA

RELATIONSHIP AND THE NEW STRATEGIC LEADERSHIP OF UZBEKISTAN.

Xasanov Ne’matillo Farxodjon o’g’li

Student of the “International Economics and Management” Faculty,

University of World Economy and Diplomacy.

E-mail:

Xasanovnematll06@gmail.com

https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.17688187

Abstract

. The C5+1 Summit, November 6-7, 2025, Washington, D.C., was an event of

previous significance in US-Central Asia affairs. The leaders in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan,
Tajikstan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan met with President Donald Trump of the United States
of America. It was the tenth time the group convened, and they paid much attention to economic
matters, particularly, the critical minerals and the planes purchase as the US, Russia, and China
are all maneuvering to gain power. Uzbekistan, under President Shavkat Mirziyoyev had its
combined moment; they struck significant trade transactions and demonstrated that they could
be a significant intermediary of the region. What transpired at the summit, what did Uzbekistan
have to do with it and how it will affect stability in the region and global supply chains are
questions of concern here. We depend on recent diplomatic news and academic research to
suggest that the summit evidences an effective, deal-centered change, which may be
disseminated in terms of connecting the Central Asian economical connections.

1

Keywords:

C5+1 Summit, US-Central Asia relations, Uzbekistan foreign policy, critical

minerals, geopolitical competition, aviation trade.

Introduction

In an era where the giants are vying to settle on dominance, processes such as the C5+1

provide the Central Asian states with the opportunity of discussing hard international matters.

The concept began in 2015 when the concept was pushed in Samarkand by Uzbekistan.
The team has stopped chatting but has engaged into serious economic deals. The 2025

Washington summit organized by President Trump demonstrated that the C5+1 is becoming
reality with definite deals on trade, investment and resources safety. As the global supply chains
wobble and the US pursues friend-shoring, this meeting underlined the plenitude in natural
resources of Central Asia and the significance of its location.

2

In this paper, we will examine how this summit is relevant, its themes, and the

contribution of Uzbekistan in it. We will review diplomatic documents and geopolitical reports
to demonstrate how the summit will enable the US to remain in close proximity to the region as
well as provide Uzbekistan an opportunity big spot as a bridge in Eurasia.

We shall further examine it as: the background of the C5+1, the major results of the 2025

summit, the strategy of Uzbekistan and general geopolitical developments.

Background The 1990s history of the C5+1 Framework C5+1 itself was developed during

the 1990s, based on the initial framework created in the 1980s and refined again in the 1990s, an
extensive history of lodged projects and their archiving algorithm, which was implemented in the
1998 undergraduate course. The C5+1 concept occurred since Central Asia was forced to handle
the post soviet transition whereby Russia was a superpower and China was flooding in more
business.

1

https://eurasianet.org/us-central-asia-gathering-yields-deals

2

THE DIPLOMAT:

https://thediplomat.com/2025/11/us-central-asia-what-is-the-c51/

684

ResearchBib IF - 11.01, ISSN: 3030-3753, Volume 2 Issue 11

To retain everyone’s attention without not injuring Russia or China, the obama team

came up with the concept of the New Silk Road. During a period of ten years, there were nine
summits addressing such issues as water, counterterrorism, and establishment of strong
economies. To sustain the relationship, the US had invested more than over $1 billion in the
form of aid and investments.

3

C5+1 is viewed by scholars as a means of offsetting the Shanghai Cooperation

Organization and the Belt & Road Initiative of China through de-risking a weighty reliance on
Moscow and Beijing. Research in such places as CSIS points to the shift toward critical minerals
such as uranium, lithium, and rare earths, which the US requires in its green energy drive. It was
the inaugural Trump summit on his new term and was in keeping with his America First agenda,
wherein direct deals took precedence over a lovely discussion.

Themes and Agreeements: 2025 Summit Key Results.

The two day affair was between November 6-7 where there were one on one meetings

prior to significant joint session. Trump portrayed Central Asia as a terribly rich area with
enormous potential particularly in mining some of the key minerals

4

. The top themes were:

- Trade and Investment Expansion: Trump declared about a new Uzbekistan trade

agreement that will be broad covering in goods and services. There are no definite figures yet in
the public domain but initial estimates have indicated that there could be more than $10-billion
worth of trade annually and this is based on previous discussions.

5

- Aviation and Infrastructure Deals: Boeing also purchased new aircraft in three airlines

in Central Asia. Uzbekistan Airways placed the order of another eight Dreamliners 787-9
(estimated to cost approximately $8.5 b), which made the total of the company 22 planes. Air
Astana of Kazakhstan ordered as many as 15 787 9s, and Somon Air of Tajikistan finalized a
737 9 EXs contract. The US Commerce Department assisted in driving such deals towards
modernizing the fleets in the region and connected Central Asia to the global air transportation.

6

- Critical Minerals Cooperation: Negotiations were aimed at collective projects on mining

and refining rare earths, where the US sought ways other than Chinese dominance.

The US has promised technical assistance and investment guarantees and this could

eliminate as much as 50 b also referred to as $50 billion mineral exports by 2030.

7

- Security and Regional Stability: Other than the economy, the summit discussed border

crossing safety and extremism warfare - C5+1 objectives. Human rights organizations such as
Amnesty international did speak out but nothing new emerged out of it in terms of rules.

8

In general, these findings can be viewed as the shift toward the use of deals as opposed to

declarations. The results of the post-summit analysis include pragmatic and results-oriented
approach and not empty grandstanding.

The Strategic Agency of Leadership and Pivotal Role of Uzbekistan.

3

CSIS:

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/11/6/why-is-trump-hosting-c-asia-leaders-can-he-compete-with-

russia-china

4

Apnews.com:

https://apnews.com/article/trump-central-asia-rare-earth-metals-china-

4d98912acea17cace354dbb65be55275

5

Foxbusiness:

https://www.foxbusiness.com/fox-news-global-economy/trump-announces-35b-uzbekistan-

investment-deal-after-meeting-central-asian-leaders

6

Reuters.com:

https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/trump-administration-announces-boeing-deals-central-

asia-2025-11-06/

7

Bloomberg:

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-11-07/trump-seeks-rare-earths-in-meeting-with-

central-asian-nations

8

Stategov:

https://www.state.gov/c51

685

ResearchBib IF - 11.01, ISSN: 3030-3753, Volume 2 Issue 11

Uzbekistan proved to be the star of the summit. Even declaring Trump the President of

Peace during a working dinner, president Mirziyoyev demonstrated his so-called multi-vector
foreign policy. He took that opportunity to promote the image of Uzbekistan and create
awareness about this country

9

. Some key highlights were:

- Economic Diplomacy: Uzbekistan pacifist the Boeing contracts and it is transforming

Tashkent into a maintenance/training facility. The fresh national airline is improved by the
purchase that costs the country 8.5 billion and attracts additional logistic investors.

- Regional Mediation Uzbekistan, the informal host state that recalled the history of the

summit in 2015, facilitated the smaller states to come to a consensus on the mineral cooperation,
including Tajikistan and Turkmenistan. This is in line with the Open Uzbekistan changes of
Mirziyoyev that allowed the free flow of trade and introduced 20 billion FDI since 2017.

- Geopolitical Compensation: Uzbekistan became a supporter of US relationships and, at

the same time, remained aloof toward the members of the SCO, displaying principled
pragmatism. The goal of Tashkent to become a crossroads of Eurasia is illustrated in the prelude
to the summit of Mirziyoyev with Qatar as well as with the EU.

Uzbekistan demonstrates the fact that Central Asia is not a cog in the clock; it is an actor

in the multi-polar world.

10

Opportunities and Challenges Geopolitical Implications.

The climax is an indication of a shift in Central Asian alliances subdueing Russian and

Chinese dominance. To the US, it would strengthen supply chains by reducing dependence on
the enemy nations by 20 30 percent in the critical regions. The grip may lead to a closer C-5
cooperation in the region, such as the joint route of the energy, which would increase the GDP
by 5-7 percent per year.

However, the ills remain: systemic corruption, mineral ecology risks, and the human

rights aspect might destroy the long-term strategies. Furthermore, a crisis between the US and
Russia (supposedly, Ukraine) will pressurize Central Asia to remain neutral.

In case the next summit ensues in 2026 it will have to correct these to sustain the

momentum.

11

Conclusion

The 2025 C-5+1 Summit displays the transformation of the US-Central Asia relationship

with real-life transactions in trade, aviation and minerals which pleaseth all. The Uzbekistan
government, courtesy of the shrewd maneuvers of its leadership by Mirziyoyev, is giving itself a
baiting opportunity, whether it is in the economic rebound or geopolitical influence. These
meetings are essential in a world of huge competences in sharing prosperity. To ensure the voice
of Central Asia is not lost in the global arena, the policy makers ought to push towards
actualisation so that the promises it makes can translate into permanent alliances.

References:

1.

Al Jazeera. (2025, November 6).

Why is Trump hosting Central Asian leaders; are Russia,

China his targets?

Retrieved from

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/11/6/why-is-

trump-hosting-c-asia-leaders-can-he-compete-with-russia-china

9

Eurasianet.org:

https://eurasianet.org/us-central-asia-gathering-yields-deals

10