US Secretary of State Marco Rubio is holding talks on Monday in the Uzbek city of Samarkand with the foreign ministers of Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan under the C5+1 format. Rubio arrived in Samarkand on Sunday evening and was welcomed by Uzbek Foreign Minister Bakhtiyor Saidov.
Rubio and Saidov discussed expanding the two countries' strategic partnership and cooperation on infrastructure, space and critical minerals. After their meeting, Uzbekistan signed the Artemis Accords, which set out principles for the peaceful exploration and use of the Moon, Mars, comets and asteroids, becoming the 77th country to do so. Saidov said the document opens new opportunities for cooperation with NASA and other national space agencies, training of national specialists and the transfer of space technology.
According to the US State Department, more than 200 American business leaders are accompanying Rubio. Trade, investment, critical minerals, energy and security are on the agenda. Rubio is also due to meet Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev on Monday evening.
The C5+1 format was launched in Samarkand in 2015. President Donald Trump hosted the leaders of the five Central Asian states at the White House in November 2025, when Kazakhstan agreed to join the Abraham Accords.
Afghanistan is not part of the format, but Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan are its neighbours and have extensive trade ties with it. No information has been released so far on whether Afghanistan was discussed in Samarkand. After Uzbekistan, Rubio travels to India, and his trip ends on Thursday.
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