Uzbekistan and Russia's Complex Relationship

A meeting between Uzbek President Islam Karimov and his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, highlighted the complexities between the two countries from a bilateral and regional perspective. Karimov met with Putin in Moscow on April 15, at which time the leaders signed a program for economic cooperation for the 2013-2017 period. They also discussed tensions over security and political matters in Central Asia. Uzbekistan has become increasingly independent from Russian influence, but several regional issues and limits to the development of alternative relationships are driving Tashkent to maintain its relationship with Moscow.