Moscow still has significant political and economic sway in Central Asia
Between East and West: Central Asia at a crossroads
The region holds huge gas and oil reserves, but getting those resources to market poses challenges
Geopolitical factors present challenges and opportunities for the resource-rich nations of Central Asia. The region is situated between the demand centres of Europe and China, but hemmed in by what are—at least in the West—international pariah states in Russia and Iran. It is also cut off from easy access to open oceans and hence reliant on pipelines to access markets. Moscow still has significant political and economic sway in these former Soviet republics, further complicating the geopolitical balancing act for governments, NOCs and IOCs since the Ukraine invasion. And the region’s autocrats in recent years have ranged from the relatively competent and business-friendly to the brutal, cor
Also in this section
8 December 2025
The Caribbean country’s role in the global oil market is significantly diminished, but disruptions caused by outright conflict would still have implications for US Gulf Coast refineries
5 December 2025
Mistaken assumptions around an oil bull run that never happened are a warning over the talk of a supply glut
4 December 2025
Time is running out for Lukoil and Rosneft to divest international assets that will be mostly rendered useless to them when the US sanctions deadline arrives in mid-December
3 December 2025
Aramco’s pursuit of $30b in US gas partnerships marks a strategic pivot. The US gains capital and certainty; Saudi Arabia gains access, flexibility and a new export future
