Central Asian states and Azerbaijan challenge Russia’s traditional role in the region, Stratfor writes

Uzbekistan’s President Shavkat Mirziyoyev has officially proposed the creation of a new regional organization, named the “Central Asian Community.” The five Central Asian states — Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan — have also welcomed Azerbaijan as a full participant in their consultative meeting format, Stratfor writes.

Mirziyoyev’s proposal to create an official alliance, coupled with Azerbaijan’s inclusion, represents a clear and ambitious step toward institutionalizing a regional framework independent of Moscow. The move challenges Russia’s traditional role as the primary guarantor of the region’s economic and security architecture and aims to accelerate the development of the Trans-Caspian Middle Corridor. By building their own security and economic structures, the member states are increasingly relying on one another, rather than on Moscow, to maintain regional stability.

The proposal comes at a time when the region, traditionally under Russia’s sphere of influence, is being actively pursued by both the West and China.