United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio has said on Monday that Washington is seeking a stronger economic and diplomatic presence in Central Asia, bringing nearly 300 American businesses to Uzbekistan for a regional forum expected to produce billions of dollars in commercial agreements.
Speaking to reporters at Samarkand’s historic Registan Square, Rubio said the United States wanted to become a more active partner for Uzbekistan and the other four Central Asian states through trade, investment and expanded commercial cooperation.
“We want to be a strong partner in Central Asia,” Rubio said, describing the region as an important crossroads of global commerce. He said American companies were attending the C5+1 Forum to explore opportunities and potentially sign agreements that would benefit both the region and the United States.
Rubio framed the initiative as an effort to compete economically with China rather than an attempt to force Central Asian countries to choose sides.
“This is not about coming here to say stop talking to somebody else or stop working with some other country,” he said. “This is about ensuring that in every part of the world that is opening its doors to American business and American commerce that we’re available.”
He praised Uzbekistan’s economic progress and described the country as a cornerstone of Central Asia. Rubio said Uzbekistan’s economy was growing at nearly 8 percent annually and argued that the country’s development offered significant opportunities for American companies.
He also said Washington supported the repeal of the Jackson-Vanik amendment, a Cold War-era trade restriction that remains applicable to certain countries. Rubio said the administration had asked Congress to repeal the provision, but lawmakers had yet to act.
“We are in favor of repealing it,” Rubio said, adding that several members of Congress also supported its removal.
The secretary’s visit came as Washington continued diplomatic efforts aimed at ending the war between Russia and Ukraine.
Asked about reports that Russian President Vladimir Putin had proposed a meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping, Rubio said discussions about a meeting may have taken place but that he was not aware of anything being finalized.
Rubio said Trump remained committed to ending the conflict and that the administration would continue pursuing any opportunity that could bring Russia and Ukraine to negotiations.
“No one is winning that war,” Rubio said, pointing to continuing deaths, destruction and economic damage. He added that the administration had not achieved the progress it wanted but would continue trying to facilitate an agreement.
Responding to questions about whether Putin had demonstrated a genuine willingness to negotiate, Rubio acknowledged the uncertainty but defended continued diplomatic engagement.
“This is not a criminal case,” he said. “What this is is about diplomacy. In diplomacy you continue to try.”
Rubio said the ultimate test would be whether both sides were willing to make concessions and reach a deal.
The secretary also addressed reports that Ukraine had not received an early warning before Russian ballistic missiles struck Kyiv.
He said he could not comment on the specific incident but confirmed that U.S. European Command had previously examined a software problem involving Ukraine’s early-warning system.
Rubio said the United States had not changed its diplomatic posture in Kyiv, despite continuing concerns about the safety of American personnel and facilities in the war zone.
He described the conflict as a threat not only to Russia and Ukraine but also to neighboring countries, warning that drone incidents, failed attacks or electronic-warfare interference could trigger wider escalation.
On U.S.-Ukraine relations, Rubio said Washington’s central objective remained ending the war. He declined to discuss operational details surrounding Starshield, saying Ukraine had benefited from the system but was seeking to expand its use in ways that involved attacks beyond Ukrainian territory.
Rubio also suggested that President Trump would like to visit Central Asia but said he could not comment on future presidential travel plans.
For Uzbekistan, Rubio said the immediate focus would be on announcing concrete business agreements at the conclusion of the forum. He described the visit as the beginning of broader US engagement with the region rather than a one-time event.
“Central Asia has just not gotten the level of attention from our policymakers over the last 20 years that it deserves,” Rubio said. “But that’s changing.”
He said stronger commercial ties could help build closer relations between the United States and Uzbekistan, arguing that “shared prosperity” was one of the most effective ways to strengthen relationships between countries.
