Geopolitics in Central Asia: The European Union Participating in a New Great Game over Land-Locked Countries?

In the article, I analyse the EU policy towards Central Asia since the Russian war in Ukraine. First, I discuss Mahan’s thesis of landlocked countries being disadvantaged and Mackinder’s heartland theory of turning Eurasia into an epicentre of geopolitics by building railways. Second, I turn to the power political dimension of geopolitics and discuss the thesis of a “New Great Game” played by Russia, China, and the United States (US). I contrast this view of Central Asian politics with the concept of “multi-vector foreign policy” and conclude that the countries are not passive objects, but active subjects of geopolitical competition. Third, I discuss the political and economic opportunities and challenges (security, economic, social inequality, and green transition) in the region before summarising the EU’s Central Asia policy.