Rubio in Samarkand: US Prepares New Central Asia Deals and Seeks Alternative Critical Mineral Supplies

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio told reporters, including Euronews, in the Uzbek city of Samarkand on Monday, 19 October, that American companies are preparing to announce new agreements. Washington aims to expand its economic presence in Central Asia and diversify supplies of critical minerals. Rubio believes American policymakers have paid too little attention to the region.

Deals and business delegation

Rubio said concrete deals were expected and stressed: "This is not the end. This is the beginning." By his account, nearly 300 US businesses are represented in Samarkand, discussing agreements potentially worth billions of dollars. The US State Department had earlier cited more than 200 business leaders. No final list of agreements or values had been published at the time of his remarks.

Critical minerals

Rubio named critical minerals as an area for possible cooperation. He said it is not smart for the world to depend on one place for 100% of anything, but did not single out any country. In his view, industries and technologies of the 21st century will increasingly rely on these materials, making supply diversification an international priority rather than only a US one. The topic was also raised at the C5+1 summit (the US and five Central Asian states) hosted in Washington by President Donald Trump in November 2025, where more than $25bn in commercial agreements and commitments were announced.

On China's growing influence, Rubio described US involvement as competition, not an attempt to make regional governments choose sides.

Programme in Samarkand

Rubio began the day with a tour of Registan Square alongside Saida Mirziyoyeva, Head of Uzbekistan's Presidential Administration. He is scheduled for talks with Uzbek Foreign Minister Bakhtiyor Saidov, a document-signing ceremony, a meeting with Kazakhstan's Foreign Minister Mukhtar Tileuberdi and the C5+1 ministerial meeting. A meeting with President Shavkat Mirziyoyev is also planned.

Ukraine

Rubio rejected Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's statement that the US briefly stopped sharing intelligence used to warn of Russian missile attacks. "There has been no pause," he said. Zelenskyy had said on Sunday that sharing resumed after a three-day suspension. Rubio acknowledged that US efforts to broker an end to the war had not made the progress Washington wanted, but said the administration would keep exploring opportunities for negotiations.