Rubio heads to Uzbekistan for C5+1 talks as Trump envoys focus on Ukraine and Iran

Secretary of State Marco Rubio travels to Uzbekistan on Sunday for C5+1 talks with Central Asian leaders, focusing on rare earth minerals and expanding the Abraham Accords, while other Trump envoys handle hotspots like Ukraine and Iran. The trip highlights a division of labor in the administration. Rubio will meet leaders from Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan in Samarkand, following a November White House summit where Kazakhstan joined the Abraham Accords. He has not visited Kyiv or Moscow, with Vice President JD Vance and envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner leading on those issues. Over 200 business executives will accompany Rubio, who will also visit India afterward for trade talks. The trip occurs as the US eases sanctions on Russian oil buyers, raising questions about regional enforcement, and follows a recent tour of Greece, Portugal, and Iceland.