Can Trump break Russia’s grip on Central Asia as China’s influence grows?

Nov 7, 2025
24 mins

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Episode Description

US President Donald Trump meets with five Central Asian leaders, seeking deals on critical minerals, energy, and trade. But can Washington gain a foothold in a region long dominated by Russia and where China’s influence is rapidly expanding?

In this episode: 

  • Zhumabek Sarabekov, Acting Director at the Institute of World Economics and Politics in Kazakhstan
  • William Courtney, Senior Fellow at the RAND Corporation & former US Ambassador to Kazakhstan
  • Dakota Irvin, Senior Analyst at PRISM Strategic Intelligence

Host: Nick Clark

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