Russians have become increasingly accustomed to, if not comfortable with, the expansion of Chinese influence in the Russian Far East, along the Northern Sea Route, and in some of the former Soviet republics of Central Asia and the South Caucasus (see EDM, March 9, May 24, August 10). Now, the …

The foreign ministers of Iran, Russia, and Turkey convened a tripartite summit in the Astana format during the 78th session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, aiming to promote peace and stability in Syria. In attendance at the meeting were Iran’s Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian, Russian Foreign …

Senior U.S. officials are upbeat about the prospects for improved relations with Central Asia’s five republics following a first-of-its-kind summit between the region’s leaders and President Joe Biden in New York this week. “I think we’ve heard an openness from all our Central Asian colleagues and really a desire for …