US Central Asia Charm Offensive Secures $12B in Deals; Implementation Pending

Secretary of State Marco Rubio's visit to Central Asia yielded $12 billion in commercial agreements, signaling a US push to counter Russian and Chinese influence. However, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan stress the need to convert political commitments into concrete investments, indicating uncertainty about follow-through. The visit underscores Washington's strategic pivot to the region, but the durability of these deals remains unproven.