Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that the West is making attempts to carry out military and humanitarian penetration into Central Asia. The statement was made by the minister during a speech at the Russian-Tajik (Slavonic) University in Dushanbe.

Lavrov also called on Russia's partners in Central Asia to critically consider Western military initiatives in the region.

On April 28, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said that Russia was increasing the combat readiness of military bases in Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan.

In September 2020, the US announced a desire to expand cooperation with Tajikistan on security, and in May of the same year, Deputy Head of the US Embassy in Dushanbe, Bridget Walker, announced that the US was committed to providing more than $60 million to Tajikistan to “provide assistance to the security sector” within two years. .