The U.S. is currently presented with a historical opening in Central Asia. Russia’s ongoing war against Ukraine has alerted Central Asian leaders of the uncomfortable truth about how Putin really views the sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity of Russia’s former Soviet republics. Since at least 2008, Central Asians have repeatedly witnessed the Kremlin invading and hacking off as much territory as it can get away with, whenever democracy takes hold in Russia’s so-called near-abroad. Unlike 2014, the criminal brutality of Putin’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine may well serve as a final wakeup call for the region.
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