Kazakh president Kassym-Jomart Tokayev
Kazakhstan seeks to chart own course
It may be too soon to speak of a divorce between Russia and Kazakhstan. Yet the former’s invasion of Ukraine is sending shivers through Central Asia
Alliances are being redrawn in Central Asia, with Russia, China, Turkey and the West pulling the region’s countries in different directions, and experts say energy trade is the key indicator to watch. Kazakhstan, which contains the region’s largest proven oil reserves and shares the world’s second-largest land border with Russia, is sharply in focus for defying its former imperial master. Kazakhstan, home to 19mn people, is the largest Central Asian state. It is also the only country in the region to border Russia, and has been on a geopolitical rollercoaster this year. In January, Russian forces helped quell what authorities described as a foreign-backed coup, leading many analysts to specu
Also in this section
1 April 2025
There is method to the US president’s apparent madness, and those seeking to understand need look no further than their local bookshop
1 April 2025
Strong economic growth targets are encouraging for the country’s energy demand growth, even if meeting those goals might be a tall order
28 March 2025
The Central Asian country is positioning itself as a low-carbon leader, but antiquated infrastructure and a dependence on Russia are holding it back
28 March 2025
MCEDD 2025 took place in Madrid this week with record attendance and a wide-ranging programme, reflecting the deepwater sector’s renewed momentum, strategic focus and accelerating technological innovation.
