US President Donald Trump is to host a Central Asian summit next week, the leaders of two countries have said, as major powers jockey for influence in the resource-rich region.
Russia's traditional dominance in the five former Soviet states has been questioned since it invaded Ukraine, with China, the European Union and the United States all seeking to boost their diplomatic and economic footprint in the region.
The White House has not commented on plans for the summit, but on Sunday the president of Kazakhstan said it was scheduled for November 6 in Washington and on Monday Kyrgyzstan's president said he would attend, local media reported citing their offices.
Heads of the other three states -- Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan -- have not confirmed their participation.
The five countries span an area as large as the EU, but are home to just 80 million people.
Much of the territory is covered by mountains and deserts, but it is rich in natural resources, including rare earths.
Leaders are trying to coordinate to revive the region's role as a historical logistics hub for East-West trade. The US summit would follow gatherings of the leaders with the EU in April, China in June and Russia earlier this month.
{{/usCountry}}Leaders are trying to coordinate to revive the region's role as a historical logistics hub for East-West trade. The US summit would follow gatherings of the leaders with the EU in April, China in June and Russia earlier this month.
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