Kazakhstan's Pragmatic European Path
Strengthening ties with the EU could recalibrate the country's balancing act between Russia and the West, especially regarding the enforcement of Russian sanctions.
The EU-Central Asia Summit held in Samarkand from April 3 to April 4 was historic. It marked the first time that the leaders of the five Central Asian countries gathered together for direct talks with the EU. For Kazakhstan, this summit concluded the high-level meeting between Kazakhstan and EU representatives in Astana a month earlier, while Kazakhstan also announced the discovery of rare earth metals.
Recent developments suggest that Kazakhstan's relationship with the EU will grow closer, indicating that Astana may take more measures to prevent Kazakh enterprises from helping Russia evade sanctions. As Kazakhstan continues to strengthen its ties with the EU, signs of strategic shifts are emerging.
Not long after the Samarkand Summit, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Vasilenko of Kazakhstan published an article in "The Diplomat" outlining his vision for global economic resilience. Notably, although both the EU and China occupy significant positions, Russia is absent from this deputy minister's future vision.
This pragmatism has been a hallmark of President Tokayev's tenure. Since taking office, he has pursued a more balanced and diversified foreign policy than his predecessor.
While a complete break with Russia remains unlikely, deeper integration with the EU could enhance Kazakhstan's resilience and reduce its need to adapt to avoid sanctions.
Source: The Diplomat
Date: April 30
Author: Contributing writer Albert Otkjær is a journalist focusing on post-Soviet affairs.
Original: https://www.toutiao.com/article/1830882141536268/
Disclaimer: This article solely represents the author's views.