Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev this week paid an official visit to the European Union headquarters in Brussels, where he met with European Council President Antonio Costa and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. Kazakhstan left with around 10 billion euros in commercial transactions.
Tokayev published an article just before his visit to Brussels with Euronewsoutlining his conception of the EU-Kazakhstan relationship. Last year, the two sides marked the tenth anniversary of the signing of their Enhanced Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (EPCA). Setting the ambition to “build the next chapter of a strategic partnership,” Tokayev outlined three strategic goals in his article: “1) strengthening resilience, 2) expanding connectivity of all kinds, and 3) creating new opportunities for citizens.”
“Geography and power are making a comeback,” Tokayev proclaimed, as if geography and power had one day disappeared from international relations. The article highlighted Kazakhstan’s economic strength; the importance of energy security and energy interdependence in EU-Kazakhstan relations; connectivity, namely the Middle Corridor; AI, digital governance and innovation; and education.
(A quick aside: The Kazakh president anticipating his own international travels with a post to set the narrative is becoming a trend. In February, as Tokayev headed to Washington, D.C., he published an op-ed with The national interestpromising Kazakhstan as a “reliable” partner for the United States.)
It is the element of connectivity that has permeated the fence joint statement, and it underpins many government and business agreements.
“Kazakhstan and Central Asia as a whole provide a natural gateway to the world. » von der Leyen wrote about.
As Europe is keen to repeat, the EU is “Kazakhstan’s main trade and investment partner”. According to the Council of EuropeThe EU is the destination for 37 percent of all Kazakh exports, making it Astana’s largest trading partner. The majority of these exports are oil and uranium.
Under the Global Gateway strategy for Central Asia, investment and cooperation have deepened across a wide range of sectors, from essential minerals to energy to transport. The joint statement highlighted the importance of the Trans-Caspian international transport route – better known as the Middle Corridor – and positioned Kazakhstan as a key player in critical mineral and energy supply chains.
Among the agreements signedair transit has received particular attention, notably due to an air transport agreement between the EU and Kazakhstan and an order from Air Astana for up to 50 aircraft from Airbus. The Airbus agreement represents the majority of the total amount of commercial transactions: 7.1 billion euros.
Beyond trade deals, the European Investment Bank (EIB) signed a €150 million deal supporting transport connectivity with Kazakhstan, and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) signed a memorandum of understanding relating to the “development of an accredited national chemical analysis laboratory in Kazakhstan.”
What was missing from the joint statement is telling. At a time when Europe remains deeply preoccupied and inextricably invested in Ukraine’s battle with Russia, there is no direct mention of this conflict (or any other, such as Iran), despite the way it has served to re-emphasize the importance of direct connections between the EU and Central Asia. It’s not shocking at all. Russia is lurking on the fringes of EU-Kazakhstan relations – just like the US.
Towards the end of the joint statement, the two sides reaffirmed “their shared commitment to peace, security and stability, as well as to the principles of the Charter of the United Nations, including sovereignty, territorial integrity and the peaceful resolution of disputes.” They also stressed “the importance of effective multilateralism,” focusing once again on the United Nations.
While human rights groups urged European leaders to address a number of concerns – the repression against critics of Kazakhstan’s recent constitutional reform; pressure on the media, including prosecutions of journalists; and the pressure on civil society, namely LGBTQ+ rights defenders – very little of this has been aired in public debates. In the joint statement, the EU simply “recognized the ongoing political reform program in Kazakhstan and recognized the adoption of a new Constitution by national referendum in March 2026” and noted that the leaders “welcomed the continued dialogue on human rights, the rule of law and the fight against corruption.”
Tokayev’s visit to Brussels comes after a working visit to Moscow in May, a visit to Turkey in April, a working visit to Washington in February and, before that, a trip to Pakistan. These trips serve to illustrate, through travel itineraries, Kazakhstan’s multi-vector diplomatic strategy in action.