University of Tehran Press Journal of Iran and Central Eurasia Studies 2645-6060 7 2 2024 12 01 The confrontation between the United States and Russia in Central Asia following the Ukraine war in 2022 1 16 101438 10.22059/jices.2025.392418.1088 EN Majid Adeli Faculty of Law and Political Science, University of Tehran 0009-0003-8574-8420 Bahareh Sazmand Faculty of Law and Political Science, University of Tehran Journal Article 2025 03 21 The United States' approach in adopting expansionist policies toward the East through NATO and Russia's reaction by invading Ukraine in 2022 has led to a more aggressive shift in U.S. foreign policy toward Moscow. Central Asia, which has been considered Russia's backyard since the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 and whose countries are often seen as its protégés, became one of the regions of significant importance due to the increased influence and subsequent pressure on Russia. Consequently, while imposing severe sanctions on Moscow and warning Central Asian countries against violating them, the United States focused its efforts on enhancing relations with the region in various fields, particularly in economy and energy. On the other hand, Russia, aiming to mitigate the pressure from sanctions and maintain its dominance over the region, prioritized strengthening ties with Central Asia in its foreign policy. This raises the question of how the confrontation between the United States and Russia following the 2022 Ukraine crisis has influenced their policies toward Central Asian countries. The hypothesis of this study is that the United States' aggressive policies in Central Asia, aimed at limiting Russian influence, have not succeeded in establishing Washington's dominance over the region. Therefore, to explain the confrontation between the United States and Russia in Central Asia, this study employs John J. Mearsheimer's theory of offensive realism as its theoretical framework, providing a clearer explanation of the policies adopted by both countries in the region after the Ukraine war.   https://jices.ut.ac.ir/article_101438_a7c9a0f62e62ff1277b7dc1bdc22b7c7.pdf