Russian President Vladimir Putin is set to meet Central Asian leaders in Tajikistan on Thursday, marking only the second such summit since the collapse of the Soviet Union, as Moscow competes with China and Europe for regional influence.
Russia’s traditional dominance in Central Asia has weakened in recent years, largely due to the ongoing war in Ukraine.
During the first summit with the five Central Asian leaders in 2022, Putin faced sharp criticism from the president of Tajikistan, who accused Moscow of neglecting post-Soviet states and failing to show them proper respect.
In the meantime, China and Europe have moved swiftly to fill the vacuum, each hosting high-level summits in Central Asia this year and seeking greater access to the region’s abundant natural resources.
Putin is expected to arrive in Tajikistan on Wednesday.
Leaders from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan will attend Thursday’s meeting in the Tajik capital, Dushanbe.