US President Donald Trump met his Uzbek counterpart Shavkat Mirziyoyev late Wednesday at the White House and discussed regional security including stability in Afghanistan.

At the meeting, Trump noted the historic partnership of the United States with Uzbekistan in the fight against terrorism. In the aftermath of the September 11, 2001 attacks on the United States, Uzbekistan provided critical access and support to drive al-Qaeda from Afghanistan.

During his visit, Mirziyoyev reaffirmed his full support for Trump's South Asia strategy and discussed Uzbekistan's initiatives to strengthen bilateral cooperation, share burdens, and address regional security issues, including stability in Afghanistan.

The US administration hopes that Uzbekistan will be useful in fostering peace in Afghanistan, where American troops are helping government forces fight both the Taliban and Daesh.

Uzbekistan’s capital Tashkent has been floated as a potential location for a meeting between Afghanistan’s government and the Taliban. Leaders of around 20 countries met in Tashkent in March and publicly gave their support for Afghanistan's government to negotiate with the Taliban.