Putin to visit Central Asia as Russia influence wanes

Russian President Vladimir Putin will meet Central Asian leaders in Tajikistan on Thursday, for only the second such summit since the fall of the Soviet Union, as Moscow jostles with China and Europe for influence.

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Weakened by the war in Ukraine, Russia’s historic grip over the region has waned in recent years.

At the first summit with Central Asia’s five leaders in 2022, Putin got a tongue-lashing from the president of Tajikistan, who accused Moscow of neglecting the post-Soviet states and of showing them little respect.

China and Europe have meanwhile rushed to fill the power vacuum. Both have held high-level summits in Central Asia this year and are hoping to expand their access to the region’s vast natural resources.

Putin is expected to arrive in Tajikistan on Wednesday.

The leaders of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan are set to attend Thursday’s meeting, which will take place in the Tajik capital Dushanbe.