Once firmly in Russia’s orbit, former Soviet republics in Central Asia are reassessing their long-standing ties with the Kremlin. These withering partnerships create opportunities for the United States.

Thanks to Russian President Vladimir Putin’s war on Ukraine, Russia’s sphere of influence in Central Asia is deflating faster than at any point since the collapse of the Soviet Union. Instead of enthusiastically backing Russia’s invasion, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan were rightly concerned about the collateral consequences of Moscow’s warmongering. Doing big business with Russia has always come at a big cost — especially for Central Asia. When Russia’s economy stumbled in 2014, countries such as Kazakhstan — whose currency lost 20% of its value in just 24 hours — were forced to pay the price. Cultivating strong economic ties with stable powers such as the U.S. would help address this vulnerability.