French president Emmanuel Macron arrived in Uzbekistan Wednesday evening after a trip to Kazakhstan, part of a two-day tour to boost France's footprint in Central Asia, reports FRANCE 24.
The French leader's visit comes as European nations jostle for influence in the resource-rich region, where Russia, China, Turkey and Europe all have economic interests.
Visiting Kazakhstan's capital Astana earlier, Macron said he wanted to "strengthen ... complement and accelerate" France's partnership with the country.
Central Asia, which has long been under Russian influence and was part of the Soviet Union, is receiving increasing attention from other powers as Moscow is taken up with its war in Ukraine.
Macron acknowledged the "geopolitical pressures" being put on Kazakhstan, which borders Russia to its north and China to its east.