US Secretary of State Marco Rubio plans a visit to Central Asia

United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio has announced his plans to visit Central Asian countries in the second half of 2026 and hold an interregional meeting in the "C5+1" format.

He stated this during a meeting of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs at the US Congress, while also noting the views of President Donald Trump's administration regarding trade restrictions.

According to Rubio, the US executive branch supports the repeal of the Jackson-Vanik amendment, which previously limited trade relations between the US and several Central Asian states. He emphasized that, in the administration's view, such a move could be beneficial for developing economic cooperation.

The Secretary of State also confirmed the plan to hold a meeting in the "C5+1" format, which unites the US and five Central Asian countries — Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. This interaction mechanism has served as a platform for active cooperation since 2015.