BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 19. Kyrgyzstan’s
Minister of Foreign Affairs Jeenbek Kulubaev and U.S. Secretary of
State Marco Rubio discussed bilateral economic cooperation, U.S.
investment and technology, as well as sanctions policy and visa
restrictions in Samarkand on October 19, 2026.
According to the Kyrgyz Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the meeting
was held in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, on the sidelines of the Central
Asia-U.S. Foreign Ministers’ meeting in the C5+1 format.
The sides discussed ways to strengthen political dialogue and
expand trade and economic ties. Jeenbek Kulubaev emphasized
Kyrgyzstan’s interest in developing mutually beneficial cooperation
with the United States, identifying mining, energy, information
technology, transport and finance as promising areas.
Moreover, the parties also stressed the importance of
implementing existing agreements and strengthening direct contacts
between government institutions and business communities.
The Kyrgyz side reaffirmed its commitment to constructive
dialogue with US partners on compliance with sanctions requirements
and expressed interest in finding solutions to facilitate
humanitarian, educational and business exchanges.
Kyrgyz President’s Special Representative Bakyt Sydykov briefed
the U.S. side on ongoing efforts related to sanctions. He
reaffirmed the Kyrgyz leadership’s commitment to continued
engagement with Washington to prevent sanctions circumvention and
maintain constructive dialogue on the issue.
The sides also discussed prospects for cooperation within the UN
Security Council, following Kyrgyzstan’s election as a
non-permanent member for the 2027–2028 term.
Meanwhile, the U.S. and Kyrgyzstan engage through bilateral
diplomatic channels and the C5+1 platform, which brings Washington
together with the five Central Asian countries to discuss regional
security and economic cooperation. The format provides
opportunities to address shared priorities, including trade,
investment, transport connectivity and energy development.
