On 4 April 2025, the first ever EU-Central Asia Summit will take place in Samarkand, Uzbekistan. The Summit will be hosted and opened by Uzbekistan’s President Mirziyoyev, with the participation of the Presidents of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan. The EU will be represented by the President of the European Council, António Costa, and the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen. In the current geopolitical context, Central Asia is growing in strategic relevance for the European Union (EU), and all five Central Asian countries have shown genuine interest in strengthening cooperation with the EU with the aim of re-balancing and diversifying their foreign policy orientations. This first ever EU – Central Asia Summit marks the important political upgrade of EU – Central Asia relations.