Following years of reform and European assistance, the five Central Asian countries - Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan - are embarking on a strategic pivot towards Europe.
At the same time, the EU is seeking reliable partners in the current rapidly changing geopolitical reality.
On Friday, the Uzbek city of Samarkand hosts the second day of the first-ever high-level meeting between the EU and the Central Asian five.
Euronews was on the ground bringing you the latest updates from the summit, which Uzbekistan's President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, the summit's host, called a "historic chance" for the region.
He said that over the past seven years, trade turnover between Central Asian countries and the EU has quadrupled and now totals €54 billion.
Over 1,000 companies with European capital are already working in Uzbekistan with a joint investment project portfolio of €30 billion.
Watch the Europe Today special for the EU-Central Asia summit in the player above.
