VOA Uzbek: War in Ukraine has forced Central Asia to seek alternative trade routes

FILE - Navy ships of Iran and Azerbaijan move during an exercise between Iran and Azerbaijan in the Caspian Sea in this picture obtained on Nov. 4, 2024. Iranian Army/WANA (West Asia News Agency)/Handout via REUTERS

The Russia- Ukraine war has disrupted the existing system of trade and economic relations in region, with sanctions in Russia causing Central Asia to look for alternative trade routes.