The European Union's first-ever summit with the five resource-rich states of Central Asia, will focus on critical minerals needed for a growing defense industry and the bloc's green transformation.

The EU is taking a keen interest in Central Asia that comprises Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan, as realization seeped in that Europe was far too dependent on China for critical minerals.

As EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President Antonio Costa meet Central Asian leaders in the Uzbek city of Samarkand, sustainable development and Russia's attempts to evade sanctions, among other issues, will be on the table.

But most attention will be paid to infrastructure development required to tap into the region's valuable resources.

"Critical Raw Minerals (CRMs) are indispensable for a broad range of strategic sectors, including the net zero industry, the digital industry, aerospace, and defense sectors," according to Eurostat, the EU's statistical office.

China controls some 60% of global production and over 85% of the processing of critical minerals. In 2023, 94% of EU imports of rare earth elements came from China, Malaysia, and Russia combined.

However, China is a key Russian ally and is building its own green tech industry, for which it requires the same minerals. As a result, it has in the past restricted the export of at least........

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