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U.S. President Donald Trump hosted the leaders of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan at the White House on November 6, 2025, underscoring his administration’s focus on securing critical minerals and expanding strategic partnerships under the C5+1 framework.

“One of the key items on our agenda is critical minerals,” Trump said before a working dinner with the five leaders. “In recent weeks, my administration has strengthened American economic security by forging agreements with allies and friends across the world to broaden our critical mineral supply chains.”

Trump called Central Asia “an extremely wealthy region,” saying the United States aims to deepen economic and security cooperation. “We’re strengthening our economic partnerships, improving our security cooperation, and expanding our overall bonds,” he added.

Expanding the C5+1 Partnership

The C5+1 platform, launched in 2015, brings together the United States and the five Central Asian nations to promote cooperation on trade, energy, and regional stability. Thursday’s gathering marked the group’s 10th anniversary, with both sides signaling intent to elevate the partnership as U.S. seeks to bolster ties with the energy- and mineral-rich region.

Kazakhstan’s President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev described the meeting as “the beginning of a new era of interaction between the United States and Central Asia.” Uzbekistan’s President Shavkat Mirziyoyev called Trump “the president of the world” and proposed establishing a permanent C5+1 secretariat in the region.

The summit followed a separate event at the State Department where Secretary of State Marco Rubio welcomed the leaders, emphasizing that U.S.–Central Asia relations had entered a new phase focused on shared economic opportunities.

“We often times spend so much time focused on crises and problems that we miss exciting new opportunities,” Rubio said. “That’s what exists here now, an exciting opportunity where the national interests of our respective countries are aligned.”

Focus on Critical Minerals and Trade

A key highlight of the summit was the signing of a memorandum on critical minerals, reflecting Washington’s growing urgency to diversify supply chains for essential resources like rare earths, uranium, copper, and gold.

Among the business announcements was a deal for Boeing to sell up to 37 airplanes to airlines in Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. In addition, U.S.-based Cove Capital will begin mining tungsten in Kazakhstan with government-backed financing.

Gracelin Baskaran, director at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, said the administration is pursuing both government-level cooperation and private sector deals. “As China and Russia entrench their control over the region’s mining, processing, and infrastructure systems, Washington is seeking to establish a tangible foothold through targeted strategic projects,” she said.

Regional Context and Competition with China

The renewed U.S. engagement comes amid intensifying competition for Central Asia’s mineral wealth. The region is home to significant deposits of uranium and rare earth elements vital for technologies such as electric vehicles, smartphones, and fighter jets.

This morning, I signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Kazakhstan’s Minister of Industry and Construction, Yersayin Nagaspayev, advancing a new chapter of cooperation between the United States and Kazakhstan in the field of critical minerals.

This agreement will deepen… pic.twitter.com/GwZpeesCLT

— Howard Lutnick (@howardlutnick) November 7, 2025

China currently dominates the global critical minerals market, controlling nearly 70 percent of mining and 90 percent of processing capacity. However, recent trade talks between Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping led Beijing to delay new export restrictions on rare earths by one year, easing short-term tensions.

Washington is using this window to secure alternative sources, with Central Asia positioned as a key part of that diversification strategy. Trump’s administration has made clear that strengthening supply chains and limiting dependency on China are central to U.S. economic security.

Economic and Political Signals

The summit also highlighted shifting geopolitical dynamics. Kazakhstan announced it would join the Abraham Accords, symbolizing a growing alignment between Central Asian states and Washington-backed initiatives.

Later that evening, Trump posted on Truth Social that Uzbekistan planned to invest over $100 billion in key U.S. sectors, including critical minerals, automotive parts, and aviation, over the next decade.

.@POTUS: “This evening, I’m also delighted to report that Kazakhstan has officially agreed… [to join] the Abraham Accords — and I just want to thank you, Mr. President.” pic.twitter.com/gSWkSXFJs8

— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) November 7, 2025

A bipartisan group of U.S. senators also introduced legislation this week to repeal Soviet-era trade restrictions that some lawmakers say hinder American investment in the region. The bill aims to remove barriers that date back to the early 1990s, when the Central Asian republics gained independence following the collapse of the Soviet Union.

Broader Implication

Central Asia’s mineral wealth and geographic position, once central to the ancient Silk Road, make it a strategic pivot point between East and West. For Washington, the C5+1 framework has evolved from a diplomatic platform into a vehicle for economic and strategic cooperation.

Trump framed the renewed U.S. focus on the region as a correction of past neglect. “These nations were once home to the ancient Silk Road connecting East and West,” he said. “Sadly, previous American presidents neglected this region completely.”

U.S. Ambassador to India Sergio Gor, who also serves as Trump’s special envoy for South and Central Asia, told the visiting leaders that the president’s “commitment to this region is that you have a direct line to the White House, and that you will get the attention that this area very much deserves.”

By linking resource access to broader geopolitical strategy, the Trump administration is positioning Central Asia as a critical node in reshaping global supply chains and reducing U.S. reliance on China. The outcome of the White House summit underscores a broader shift toward economic diplomacy, blending mineral security with regional engagement.

As the U.S. pushes forward with new agreements and investment commitments, analysts say the C5+1 framework may evolve into one of Washington’s most significant multilateral tools in Eurasia, anchored by critical minerals, trade connectivity, and a growing alignment of strategic interests.

Hungarian President visits White House

Separately, U.S. President Donald Trump met Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban at the White House on Friday, in what both leaders described as a continuation of the “golden age of U.S.-Hungarian relations.” The meeting underscored their shared positions on migration, sovereignty, and the ongoing war in Ukraine.

Greeting Orbon at the White House entrance, Trump called him “a great leader,” praising Hungary’s firm stance on illegal migration and border protection. “The Hungarian government has not made a mistake in terms of handling illegal migration, while Europe has mishandled the issue,” Trump said, adding that “Europe respects Viktor Orban a lot, although they may not like him.”

Orban, for his part, emphasized the importance of peace efforts, urging Trump to make conflict resolution in Ukraine a top priority of U.S.-Hungarian relations. He claimed that “the war is going to end in the near future,” aligning with Trump’s assertion that he inherited the conflict and would “stop it soon.”

During the joint remarks, Trump predicted Orban’s success in Hungary’s upcoming 2026 elections, citing his leadership as an example for Europe. “Hungary is a country that is led properly,” Trump said, adding, “I stick with Orban. Many are jealous of him because he does not have the problems they have.”

“It’s an honor to have a friend of mine here, @PM_ViktorOrban, Prime Minister of Hungary. He’s a very special person… and he’s a great leader.” – President Donald J. Trump 🇺🇸🇭🇺 pic.twitter.com/9LUT7TPv7Y

— The White House (@WhiteHouse) November 7, 2025

Orban described Hungary as “a Christian government in a liberal ocean,” contrasting it with other European Union members. He accused Brussels of mismanaging the war in Ukraine and said that “the only pro-peace governments are the U.S. and small Hungary.”

The leaders also touched on migration penalties imposed by the EU on Budapest, with Orban noting that Hungary pays “one million euros a day” for refusing to admit illegal migrants. Trump responded by calling on European nations to “stop and reverse migration” to preserve stability.

When asked about the postponed Budapest Peace Summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Orban said it was canceled because “the Russians do not want to stop yet.” Trump reaffirmed his intention to hold future peace talks in Budapest, calling the Hungarian capital his “preferred location” for such negotiations.

Orban concluded by clarifying that he “did not come to Washington to ask Donald Trump to manage his conflicts with EU leaders,” but rather “to create the golden age between our countries.”

The meeting highlighted a deepening ideological and strategic alignment between Washington and Budapest under the current U.S. administration.

Meanwhile, the United States has granted Hungary a one-year exemption from U.S. sanctions against Russian oil and gas, a White House official said on Friday, Orban’s meeting with Trump in Washington. Last month, Trump imposed Ukraine-related sanctions on Russian oil companies Lukoil and Rosneft that included further sanctions on entities in countries that buy oil from those firms.