Uzbekistan’s Opening to Europe: The Diplomatic and Geopolitical Significance of President Mirziyoyev’s Visit to Belgium
President Shavkat Mirziyoyev’s official visit to Belgium in October 2025 represents a milestone in Uzbekistan’s diversifying foreign policy and its broader relations with Europe. The main purpose of the visit is the signing of the Enhanced Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (EPCA) between Uzbekistan and the European Union, holds broader regional and strategic implications beyond the bilateral level. It signals Uzbekistan’s intent to expand its foreign ties, showcase its reform progress, and enhance its influence in Central Asia’s fluid geopolitical setting.
Since 2016, Mirziyoyev has aimed to reshape Uzbekistan’s international image as a modern, pragmatic, and reform-minded country. Domestically, his administration has initiated economic liberalisation and administrative modernisation. Internationally, it started a multivector foreign policy designed to balance relations with Russia, China, and the West. Within this context, the visit to Brussels marks an important step in deepening relations with Europe. Belgium’s symbolic role as the host of EU institutions makes it an ideal stage for strengthening Uzbekistan’s European orientation and finalising the EPCA – a framework planned to replace the outdated 1996 agreement and align relations with current political and economic realities.
Diplomatically, the visit highlights Uzbekistan’s aspiration to be perceived as a reliable and constructive partner. The EU remains one of Uzbekistan’s largest trading partners and a growing source of investment and technological expertise. By enhancing cooperation in areas such as energy, digitalisation, transport connectivity, and education, the new agreement could realize tangible economic benefits. Besides, the European connection provides Tashkent with a counterbalance to its dependence on Russia and China, particularly at a time when geopolitical fragmentation and sanctions regimes complicate traditional trade routes. In this sense, this visit to Belgium is also a signal of strategic diversification.
For Europe, and particularly for the EU institutions based in Brussels, the visit is equally significant. Central Asia has re-emerged as a region of strategic concern due to its location at the crossroads of Eurasia and its potential role in new trade and energy corridors linking Europe to Asia. Strengthening ties with Uzbekistan – the most populous, one of the wealthiest and centrally located country in the region – offers the EU an opportunity to anchor its “Global Gateway” strategy in Central Asia. Belgium’s hosting of the visit further reinforces its position as a diplomatic hub for EU–Central Asia engagement and may open new channels for European and Belgian businesses seeking to enter the Uzbek market.
From a regional point of view, Mirziyoyev’s efforts to build ties with Europe show a wider trend of Central Asian countries trying to develop more diverse partnerships during a time of global uncertainty. Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan have also strengthened their relations with the EU, and Uzbekistan’s increasing presence makes it look like a leader in regional cooperation. This closer connection with Europe could help balance Central Asia’s geopolitical situation, which has long been influenced mainly by Moscow and Beijing.
For Hungary and other Central European countries, Mirziyoyev’s visit to Brussels is especially important. Hungary has built its own diplomatic and economic relations in Central Asia through the “Opening to the East” policy, and Uzbekistan has become a key partner in this strategy. Stronger EU–Uzbekistan relations can bring new chances for Hungarian companies, mainly in areas like green energy, transport, and digital development. It also supports Hungary’s aim to act as a bridge between the EU and Central Asia – a role Budapest has been promoting in recent years.
However, the success of this diplomatic effort will depend on how well the EPCA is implemented and on Uzbekistan’s ongoing commitment to reforms. Even though Brussels sees Tashkent as a stable and strategically important partner, investors are still careful because of issues like bureaucracy, unclear laws, and governance problems. The visit is therefore both a success and a challenge: it shows Uzbekistan’s desire to get closer to European standards and institutions, but it also creates expectations that need to be met through steady and practical actions.
In conclusion, President Mirziyoyev’s visit to Belgium is more than just a formal event; it represents an important step in Uzbekistan’s move toward closer relations with Europe and shows Central Asia’s rising role in the wider Eurasian region. For the EU, the visit is a reminder that peace and good connections in Central Asia are important for its larger strategic goals. For Uzbekistan, it confirms its image as a reforming and open country that wants balanced partnerships. And for Hungary and other Central European states, it brings both a challenge and a chance – to work more closely with a region that is gradually becoming part of Europe’s political and economic space.
Author: Prof. Dr. László Vasa
Chief advisor, Senior Research Fellow of the Hungarian Institute of International Affairs, Professor at Széchenyi István University, Hungary