Budapest Post

Cum Deo pro Patria et Libertate
Budapest, Europe and world news

Blinken vows support for Central Asian nations against Russian threat

Blinken vows support for Central Asian nations against Russian threat

The US Secretary of State, visiting Kazakhstan, is targeting all the former Soviet republics who fear they will be future victims of Russian expansionism
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken began a visit to Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan on Tuesday, as part of a drive to deepen US engagement with Central Asian nations against the backdrop of Russia's war in Ukraine.

Upon arrival in the Kazakh capital Astana, Washington's top diplomat said no country can ignore the threats posed by Russian aggression, not only to their territory but to the international rules-based order and the global economy.

"I reaffirmed the United States' unwavering support for Kazakhstan, like all nations, to freely determine its future," Blinken said after a meeting with the foreign ministers of the so-called C5+1 group, made up of the US and Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan.

Kazakh Foreign Minister Mukhtar Tileuberd thanked his US counterpart for the commitment to his country's freedom.

But he signaled that Kazakhstan was unlikely to adopt either a pro-Russian or pro-Western position, but would continue to act in its own national interest given “the complex international situation”.

Tileuberdi said that while Kazakhstan has very close and historic ties with both Russia and Ukraine, it would not allow its territory to be used for any Russian aggression or sanctions evasion.

He also said that even though Kazakhstan shares the world’s longest land border with Russia, it did not see a threat from Moscow.

Blinken, who later flew on to the Uzbek capital Tashkent, said the US was "watching compliance with sanctions very closely". He added that Washington was giving companies time to detach themselves from Russian firms sanctioned by the West over Ukraine.

He announced $25 million in economic support, on top of $25 million already committed by the Biden administration to the region.

In Blinken's sights are all the former Soviet republics of Central Asia who fear that they will be future victims of Russian expansionism.

Although traditionally viewed as part of the Kremlin's sphere of influence, none publicly backed Moscow's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Kazakhstan welcomed tens of thousands of Russians fleeing from the military call-up late last year.

However, all five Central Asian republics along with India -- which Blinken will visit next after Uzbekistan -- abstained in a vote to condemn the invasion as a violation of core international principles last week at the UN General Assembly on the first anniversary of the war.

For decades, Washington has tried to wean the ex-Soviet nations of the region from Moscow's influence, without great success. As members of the Commonwealth of Independent States, their ties to Russia remain deep economically, militarily and diplomatically.

Meanwhile, Alexander Lukashenko, the leader of Belarus and a close ally of Russia, was expected to arrive in Beijing on Tuesday for a state visit that will be watched for hints about China's attitude to Russia's war in Ukraine.

Despite Chinese claims of neutrality, US officials have warned that Beijing is considering sending military assistance to Russia. China denies this and last week put forward a 12-point peace plan for Ukraine.

China has long had a close relationship with Lukashenko, who has strongly backed Moscow, helped Vladimir Putin prepare for the invasion of Ukraine a year ago, and continues to host Russian troops, warplanes and other weapons.
AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Munich Airport Reopens After Second Drone Shutdown
Pro Europe and Anti-War Babiš Poised to Return to Power After Czech Parliamentary Vote
Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs Sentenced to Fifty Months in Prison Following Prostitution Conviction
Altman Says GPT-5 Already Outpaces Him, Warns AI Could Automate 40% of Work
Russian Research Vessel 'Yantar' Tracked Mapping Europe’s Subsea Cables, Raising Security Alarms
Global Cruise Industry Posts Dramatic Comeback with 34.6 Million Passengers in 2024
U.S. Demands Brussels Scrutinize Digital Rules to Prevent Bias Against American Tech
Private Equity’s Fundraising Surge Triggers Concern of European Market Shake-Out
Tokyo’s Jimbōchō Named World’s Coolest Neighbourhood for 2025
European Officials Fear Trump May Shift Blame for Ukraine War onto EU
The Personality Rights Challenge in India’s AI Era
Italy Considers Freezing Retirement Age at 67 to Avert Scheduled Hike
Italian City to Impose Tax on Visiting Dogs Starting in 2026
Study Finds No Safe Level of Alcohol for Dementia Risk
Trump Says Ukraine Can Fully Restore Borders with NATO Backing
Europe Signals Stronger Support for Taiwan at Major Taipei Defence Show
Germany Weighs Excluding France from Key European Fighter Jet Programme
Cyberattack Disrupts Check-in and Boarding Systems at Major European Airports
Björn Borg Breaks Silence: Memoir Reveals Addiction, Shame and Cancer Battle
When Extremism Hijacks Idealism: How the Baader-Meinhof Gang Emerged and Fell
JWST Data Brings TRAPPIST-1e Closer to Earth-Like Habitability
Trump Orders $100,000 Fee on H-1B Visas and Launches ‘Gold Card’ Immigration Pathway
France’s Looming Budget Crisis and Political Fracture Raise Fears of Becoming Europe’s “Sick Man”
Three Russian MiG-31 Jets Breach Estonian Airspace in ‘Unprecedentedly Brazen’ NATO Incident
European manufacturers against ban on polluting cars: "The industry may collapse"
Turkish car manufacturer Togg Enters German Market with 5-Star Electric Sedan and SUV to Challenge European EV Brands
Christian Brueckner Released from German Prison after Serving Unrelated Sentence
World’s Longest Direct Flight China Eastern to Launch 29-Hour Shanghai–Buenos Aires Direct Flight via Auckland in December
New OpenAI Study Finds Majority of ChatGPT Use Is Personal, Not Professional
The conservative right spreads westward: a huge achievement for 'Alternative for Germany' in local elections
Pope Leo Warns of Societal Crisis Over Mega-CEO Pay, Citing Tesla’s Proposed Trillion-Dollar Package
Poland Green-Lights NATO Deployment in Response to Major Russian Drone Incursion
U.S. and China Agree on Framework to Shift TikTok to American Ownership
Le Pen Tightens the Pressure on Macron as France Edges Toward Political Breakdown
Czech Republic signs €1.34 billion contract for Leopard 2A8 main battle tanks with delivery from 2028
Penske Media Sues Google Over “AI Overviews,” Claiming It Uses Journalism Without Consent and Destroys Traffic
Indian Student Engineers Propose “Project REBIRTH” to Protect Aircraft from Crashes Using AI, Airbags and Smart Materials
One in Three Europeans Now Uses TikTok, According to the Chinese Tech Giant
Could AI Nursing Robots Help Healthcare Staffing Shortages?
NATO Deploys ‘Eastern Sentry’ After Russian Drones Violate Polish Airspace
The New Life of Novak Djokovic
German police raid AfD lawmaker’s offices in inquiry over Chinese payments
Volkswagen launches aggressive strategy to fend off Chinese challenge in Europe’s EV market
France Erupts in Mass ‘Block Everything’ Protests on New PM’s First Day
Poland Shoots Down Russian Drones in Airspace Violation During Ukraine Attack
Apple Introduces Ultra-Thin iPhone Air, Enhanced 17 Series and New Health-Focused Wearables
Macron Appoints Sébastien Lecornu as Prime Minister Amid Budget Crisis and Political Turmoil
Vatican hosts first Catholic LGBTQ pilgrimage
Apple Unveils iPhone 17 Series, iPhone Air, Apple Watch 11 and More at 'Awe Dropping' Event
France joins Eurozone’s ‘periphery’ as turmoil deepens, say investors
×