Reports of telephone conversations between the presidents of Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan with U.S. President Donald Trump came the day before a notable event on the international agenda. Trump has publicly announced his intention to invite the leaders of the two most influential Central Asian countries to the G20 summit, which the U.S. plans to hold in Miami in 2026.

Despite the brevity of the official releases, they indicate not only the steady development of bilateral relations, but also a broader geopolitical signal.

This statement has attracted increased interest from the international media, from the Los Angeles Times and Chicago Tribune to Agenzianova and Economic Times, which in itself highlights the increased attention to the Central Asia region.

The report by Akorda, Tokayev’s press service, on the conversation between him and the U.S. president emphasizes that the conversation was “lengthy”. Tokayev noted the complexity of resolving the war in Ukraine, expressing his view that the territorial issue remains key and requires compromises, taking into account the real situation “on the ground.”

In this regard, Kazakhstan called on all parties to show patience and flexibility, stressing that it does not seek to act as a mediator but is ready to provide a platform for negotiations if necessary.

It is noteworthy that the topic of peace talks is reflected in the Kazakh release but is absent from Trump’s own statement. At the same time, the Akorda statement makes no mention of a possible invitation to Kazakhstan to attend the G20 summit.

The situation is similar with the official statement from the administration of Shavkat Mirziyoyev. It focuses on the growth in political contacts, the launch of joint projects worth tens of billions of dollars, the creation of an American-Uzbek business and investment council, as well as the development of regional cooperation and the C5+1 format. However, possible participation in the G20 summit is also not mentioned.

Meanwhile, Trump himself wrote directly on his social network Truth Social that the U.S. will host the G20 summit next year and intends to invite the presidents of Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan as guests.

At this point, it appears to be only an intention, not a formal invitation. Nevertheless, even this signal indicates a noticeable shift in the priorities of U.S. foreign policy towards Central Asia. If Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan receive an official invitation (even as guests), this will be a de facto recognition of their role as “middle powers” in contemporary world politics.

The context of what is happening also deserves attention. The telephone conversations with Trump took place immediately after an informal meeting of CIS leaders in St. Petersburg, an event that was more of a ritual in nature.

The last summit was notable for the conspicuous absence of the president of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, despite previously announced meetings in the Kremlin. Officially, Baku explained that this was due to Aliyev’s busy schedule.

Although there is still considerable time before the G20 summit, preparations for it have already begun. In mid-December, the first meeting of G20 “sherpas” was held in Washington, featuring representatives of the world’s leading economies and international associations.

Poland was the only full guest of the U.S. presidency this year. The U.S. State Department announced that Washington had identified the key priorities for the upcoming summit: stimulating economic growth, access to reliable and affordable energy, and the development of innovative technologies.

The G20 is not an international organization in the classical sense. In essence, it is a forum whose decisions are advisory in nature and are often complicated by the divergent interests of its participants. However, even under such conditions, the possible participation of Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan would open up a rare opportunity for them to directly convey their position to the leaders of the world’s leading economies.

This is especially true given that the countries of Central Asia have their own agenda and resources that they are ready to offer, in the context of global economic development and sustainable growth.