BISHKEK, Kyrgyzstan, Oct 27, 2025 (BSS/AFP) - US President Donald Trump is to 
host a Central Asian summit next week, the leaders of two countries have 
said, as major powers jockey for influence in the resource-rich region.

Russia's traditional dominance in the five former Soviet states has been 
questioned since it invaded Ukraine, with China, the European Union and the 
United States all seeking to boost their diplomatic and economic footprint in 
the region.

The White House has not commented on plans for the summit, but on Sunday the 
president of Kazakhstan said it was scheduled for November 6 in Washington 
and on Monday Kyrgyzstan's president said he would attend, local media 
reported citing their offices.

Heads of the other three states -- Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan -- 
have not confirmed their participation.

The five countries span an area as large as the EU, but are home to just 80 
million people.

Much of the territory is covered by mountains and deserts, but it is rich in 
natural resources, including rare earths.

Leaders are trying to coordinate to revive the region's role as a historical 
logistics hub for East-West trade. The US summit would follow gatherings of 
the leaders with the EU in April, China in June and Russia earlier this 
month.