Budapest Post

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

Kazakhstan does not want to be behind new Iron Curtain: Official

Kazakhstan does not want to be behind new Iron Curtain: Official

Deputy foreign minister says Kazakhstan would welcome companies exiting Russia due to the war in Ukraine.

Kazakhstan does not wish to be behind any new Iron Curtain that Russia may seek to erect, the country’s deputy foreign minister has said, as Astana treads a fine line amid Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine.

German newspaper Die Welt on Monday quoted Roman Vassilenko as saying that his country would not want to be on the wrong side of a new “iron curtain”, referring to the Western term for a dividing line between Eastern and Western Europe during the Cold War.

Kazakhstan has been seeking a balance between distancing itself from Russia’s offensive in Ukraine and not upsetting its northern ally.

Vassilenko also said companies exiting Russia due to the war in Ukraine were welcome to move their production to Kazakhstan.

Countries should not come merely to avoid sanctions against Russia, “but all companies with a good reputation that want to move their production here are welcome”, Vassilenko said.

A raft of Western companies are shuttering businesses in Russia in response to pressure from consumers to take a stand against the invasion of Ukraine.

Vassilenko signaled that his country was pressing on with its planned reforms and had no intention of returning to the political setup of the Cold War.

Pointing to the planned changes, which include limiting the president’s powers, Vassilenko said his country is “not taking these steps and political reforms to please anyone, including the West, but because our president knows that it is the only way forward”.

Kazakhstan has avoided criticising Russia’s move to invade a fellow former Soviet republic, but Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said this month that all countries must strictly adhere to the norms and principles of the United Nations charter.

The foreign ministry last month signalled its neutrality in the Ukraine conflict and said it is not considering recognition of two Russia-backed separatist entities in eastern Ukraine.

Authorities had allowed activists to hold a rally against the invasion, gathering more than 2,000 people in early March. However, a second attempt for a rally was rejected by the officials.


Dependence on Russia


Following the collapse of the Soviet Union, the Central Asia region – which includes Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan – have remained in the Russian orbit and while many tried to pursue multi-vector foreign policies, their dependence on Moscow has remained strong.

Kazakhstan, the region’s richest country, was rocked by the most dramatic social unrest since its independence at the start of this year and President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev called in Russian troops to help stabilise the situation.

For many, the move marked a new even greater dependence on Russia in terms of Kazakhstan’s foreign policy.

Dozens of people were killed and thousands were arrested in the protests and clashes that lasted approximately 10 days in early January.

Meanwhile, Uzbekistan, another Central Asian republic with close ties to Russia, has also been a critic of the war in Ukraine.

The government has also said that it will not recognise Moscow-backed separatist states in eastern Ukraine.

Uzbek foreign minister Abdulaziz Kamilov told parliament in mid-march that while Tashkent wanted to maintain good relations with both Moscow and Kyiv, it opposed the war.

Uzbekistan’s economy relies heavily on exports to Russia as well as remittances from Uzbeks working in Russia.

Both Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan have said they would provide humanitarian aid to Ukraine.

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
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
France Faces New Political Crisis, again, as Prime Minister Bayrou Pushed Out
Nayib Bukele Points Out Belgian Hypocrisy as Brussels Considers Sending Army into the Streets
France, at an Impasse, Heads Toward Another Government Collapse
×