US Secretary of State Antony Blinken begins Central Asia tour amid regional tensions over Russia

Antony Blinken visited Astana, Kazakhstan, as he began his tour of Central Asia amid heightened tensions over Russia.

The US Secretary will visit the capitals of Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan in his first trip to the region as Joe Biden’s top diplomat just days after the 24 February anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Leaders in the region have been emboldened to stand up to Moscow, sensing that Russia has been weakened by the war, as Vladimir Putin’s nation looks to their markets and trade routes in a bid to circumvent Western sanctions.

The Biden administration is stepping up engagement with Central Asia to demonstrate the benefits of cooperating with the US as countries face economic fallout from the conflict to the West.

In a seven-minute tirade, Emomali Rakhmon, the leader of Tajikistan, criticised Moscow for not changing their attitudes to the region since the Soviet era.

“We want respect. Nothing else. Respect,” he said back in October 2022.

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