Background During the ongoing Ukrainian crisis, Russia’s relations with its near abroad, namely the Central Asian region, have been put to test. Central Asian Republics (CARs) have maintained a middle-ground approach, neither opposing nor supporting...

Following the collapse of the Soviet Union, China had greater ambitions to establish cordial relations with newly independent CARs, which had not previously been the case due to Sino-Soviet animosity. In addition, the geopolitical vacuum left by the...

Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan are three Central Asian countries that share geographical boundaries and cross-border ethnic linkages with Afghanistan. As a result, the developments in Afghanistan have directly impacted these countries....

Background Central Asia has recently been in the geopolitical spotlight with the Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan and political upheaval in Kazakhstan. Russia’s special military actions in Ukraine have once again drawn attention to Central Asia for...