Andrei Kortunov, former academic director of the Russian International Affairs Council; Akram Umarov, director of the Institute of Advanced International Studies in Tashkent; Yang Cheng, a professor at Shanghai International Studies University; and Brianne Todd, a professor at the U.S. National Defense University, discuss how Central Asia is navigating great-power competition. They examine regional cooperation, trade corridors and shifting relations with Russia, China and the United States, asking how the region can strengthen its independence and avoid dependence on a single partner. Moderated by former Indian Ambassador Rakesh Sood, the roundtable was held in Tashkent on June 26, 2026.
This discussion is part of the Monterey Summer Symposium 2026, held across Uzbekistan, Georgia and Armenia from June 18 to July 10, 2026.
