Steppe by Steppe: Mongolia Courts Central Asia for Strategic Leverage

Mongolia’s pivot toward its western neighbourhood is significant. It marks a deliberate shift from reactive diplomacy toward shaping new alignments.

Mongolia has long lived with a unique form of claustrophobia: it is not merely landlocked, but entirely boxed in by two assertive giants—Russia and China. That geo-economic encirclement has made trade diversification not just a development goal, but a geopolitical imperative.

Now, a flurry of presidential visits from Central Asia, including from Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan in June 2025, has sparked talk of a westward turn. The diplomatic choreography is deliberate. So is the message: Mongolia wants options.

Want to read more?

Subscribe to mongoliaweekly.org to keep reading this exclusive post.

Subscribe Now