Kazakhstan Offers EU A Broader Partnership In Eurasia
Illustration: elements.envato.com
The partnership between Kazakhstan and the European Union is more important today than ever, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev wrote in an op-ed for Euronews, outlining three key strategic goals for the next stage of strategic cooperation, Orda.kz reports.
A decade after the signing of the Enhanced Partnership and Cooperation Agreement in 2015, the European Union has become Kazakhstan’s largest trade and investment partner. Thousands of European companies successfully operate in the country, generating profits and benefits for Europe while also contributing to the modernization and diversification of Kazakhstan’s economy, the article says.
It was and remains a great achievement. But is that enough in a rapidly changing world? I think not. I return to Brussels with a clear aspiration and firm conviction: the partnership between Kazakhstan and the European Union is more important today than ever before. That is why it must be strengthened,Tokayev wrote in the article published by Euronews on June 22.
Cooperation Between Kazakhstan And The EU: Three Key Strategic Goals For Both Sides
According to the president, the next stage of cooperation between Kazakhstan and the European Union should be aimed at achieving three key strategic goals for both sides: strengthening stability, expanding connectivity in all areas, and creating new opportunities for citizens.
This is necessary because the previous geopolitical assumptions no longer hold. Geography and power are coming to the fore again. Renewed competition is rapidly changing the direction of trade, technology, and investment flows. Global supply chains have once again become vulnerable. Trade and economic interdependence is increasingly becoming hostage to national security considerations. As Europe knows well, in such conditions countries can either close themselves off into rival blocs or build new partnerships based on mutual respect and common interests,Tokayev wrote.
Kazakhstan’s Connecting Role Is Increasingly Reinforced By Economic Power
In 2025, Kazakhstan’s economy grew by 6.5%, while GDP reached $306 billion. According to the IMF World Economic Outlook forecast, GDP is expected to exceed $360 billion in 2026. Tokayev added that a larger and more dynamic Kazakhstan means a stronger partner for Europe in the heart of Eurasia.
Every traveler understands: the more uncertain the path, the greater the value of reliable companions. As our world becomes increasingly uncertain, Kazakhstan and Europe are already such fellow travelers. Our balanced, pragmatic, and constructive approach to international cooperation remains unchanged. We remain firmly committed to the UN Charter. We continue to prioritize dialogue and the peaceful settlement of conflicts. We do not always agree, but we know each other,Tokayev wrote.
Energy Security Is A Clear Example Of Mutual Trust
“Interdependence strengthens stability. Take energy, where reliability has become strategically important in a short time. Today, Kazakhstan provides almost 13% of the European Union’s imports of oil and oil products and 16% of its natural uranium supplies.
Energy security is a clear example of our mutual trust, strengthening resilience and the ability to fulfill obligations even in a more unstable world.
Why not apply the same approach to agriculture? Food security is becoming an increasingly important strategic issue around the world. Kazakhstan is one of the world’s largest producers and exporters of grain and has significant potential for European markets in need of diversification.
At the same time, European knowledge, technologies, and investment can contribute to the development of deeper processing and higher value-added agricultural production in our country.
Similarly, the global economic transition toward sustainable growth will require an unprecedented level of cooperation. Critical raw materials, renewable technologies, energy efficiency, and new industrial ecosystems are rapidly shaping the competitiveness of the future.
Here, Kazakhstan can offer significant resources and industrial potential if Europe responds with expertise, technology, and investment. Both of our economies will grow, and both will become more resilient,” the article says.
Transport Routes
Tokayev also wrote that Kazakhstan understands that safe and efficient transport routes, like the Silk Road, have always been strategic arteries.
That is why we are developing the Middle Corridor between Europe and Asia, which naturally aligns with the EU’s Global Gateway strategy. However, connectivity means more than the faster movement of goods across borders. It is more accurate to view the Middle Corridor as the basis of an emerging system linking European markets and economic centers with Central Asia’s resources, developing industrial base, and logistics potential,he wrote.
Artificial Intelligence, Digital Governance, Innovative Ecosystems And Reliable Technologies
Artificial intelligence, digital governance, innovative ecosystems, and reliable technologies are rapidly becoming central factors of economic competitiveness and national resilience, Tokayev wrote. In his view, the partnership should now cover the technologies that will ensure future prosperity.
He also noted that significant progress has already been made on visa issues, which should make travel more accessible and convenient and bring practical benefits to students, researchers, entrepreneurs, and families on both sides.
We must also once again raise the level of ambition in education, science, and innovation. Kazakhstan’s participation in Erasmus+ and Horizon Europe already demonstrates the scale of the opportunities available. We need more academic mobility and cooperation, more joint innovation, and more opportunities for young people. We want our partners and investors to find in Kazakhstan not only new markets, but also stable rules, as well as predictable, fair, and transparent economic governance,Tokayev wrote.
Tokayev is visiting Brussels on June 22–23 for talks with the leadership of the European Union.
Original author: Alexander Smolin
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