Since the breakup of the Soviet Union in 1991, the five Central Asian states of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan have unquestionably established themselves as independent states. The status of their relations with their larger, more powerful neighbors, however, have been less clear cut, certainly since the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine. This panel discussion explored Central Asia’s relations with one neighbor, Russia, from a security, a political, an economic, and a social perspective, with the goal of shedding light on the assumption that Russia’s influence in Central Asia is in decline.   

This event is co-sponsored with the Oxus Society and is a part of the Kennan Institute’s spotlight on the Caucasus & Central Asia.