After years of isolation, Uzbekistan looks set to significantly increase its cooperation with Russia. On May 21, Russian President Vladimir Putin had a phone call with Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev in which he discussed visiting Uzbekistan in the near future. On the same day, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu visited Uzbekistan to meet with his counterpart, Abdusalom Azizov. During his visit, Shoigu offered Russian assistance for training Uzbek military personnel to counter militancy and terrorism from neighboring Afghanistan. By increasing cooperation on security, Uzbekistan is making a major change in how it interacts with its neighbors....
