About: Kazakhstan
Russia shuts down terminal after Kazakhstan offers to send more oil to the EU
A Russian court closed a key oil terminal for the export of Kazakh oil on 6 July, two days after the President of Kazakhstan told Council President Charles Michel that his country is ready to send more oil to the EU.
Uzbekistan says 18 killed, hundreds wounded in Karakalpakstan unrest
Eighteen people were killed and 243 wounded during unrest in Uzbekistan's autonomous province of Karakalpakstan which broke out last week over plans to curtail its autonomy, Uzbek authorities said on Monday (4 July).
Putin to make first foreign trips since launching Ukraine war
Vladimir Putin will visit two small former Soviet states in central Asia this week, Russian state television reported on Sunday (26 June), in what would be the Russian leader's first known trip abroad since ordering the invasion of Ukraine.
Kazakhstan key ‘Middle Corridor’ linking China to EU
Kazakhstan has a vital role to play in the Middle Corridor, or Trans-Caspian International Transport Route EU officials said at a public event in Brussels on Wednesday (15 June).
Pope raps Russian ‘cruelty’ in Ukraine, admits war was ‘in some way provoked’
Pope Francis has taken a new series of swipes at Russia for its actions in Ukraine, saying its troops were brutal, cruel and ferocious and that the invasion violated a country's right to self-determination.
WTO chief says ‘cautiously optimistic’ ahead of high-stakes meet
The World Trade Organization chief voiced cautious optimism Sunday (12 June) as global trade ministers gather to tackle food security threatened by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, overfishing and equitable access to Covid vaccines. Speaking just hours before the opening of...
Kazakhstan voters open way for political reform
Over 76% of Kazakh voters approved on Sunday (5 June) the constitutional changes aimed at political reform put to a referendum by President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, with 68.44% or 8 million citizens turning out to vote, according to exit polls.
Kazakhstan’s constitutional referendum explained
On Friday (3 June), Kazakhstan’s President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev gave the shortest speech of his career – only three minutes, expressing the ambition “to make New Kazakhstan a reality” in which social justice would be the principal value.
Kazakhstan president calls for constitutional referendum, warns against ‘provocateurs’
Kazakhstan’s President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has announced a national referendum on his proposed amendments to the county’s constitution and warned against what he described as “provocateurs who are trying to undermine the unity in the country”.
Kazakh President lays out constitutional reforms following January unrest
Constitutional reforms to limit the powers of the president's office have been announced by Kazakhstan's President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, who says the country needs to switch from "superpresidential" rule to a presidential republic with a strong parliament.
Kazakhstan takes distance from Russia’s Ukraine war
Kazakhstan, one of Russia's closest allies, has denied a request for its troops to join the offensive in Ukraine and will not recognise the so-called republics of Donetsk and Lugansk.
Kazakh ombudsman looks into reported police violence against protesters
Kazakhstan’s Commissioner for Human Rights Elvira Azimova told EURACTIV on Wednesday (2 February) that her office takes seriously the reports that some of the people arrested following the protest in early January had been tortured and that testimonies had been extracted under duress.
Kazakh leader rejects international probe into deadly unrest
Kazakhstan President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev Saturday (29 January) rejected calls for an international probe into a bloody crisis in the ex-Soviet country and said he had no plans to change the constitution to extend his rule.
Mysterious power blackout hits Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan
The central Asian nations of Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan suffered electrical power outages in major cities on Tuesday (25 January), according to authorities and residents, after a major power line in Kazakhstan was disconnected.
Russia proposes ban on use and mining of cryptocurrencies on its territory
Russia's central bank on Thursday (20 January) proposed banning the use and mining of cryptocurrencies on Russian territory, citing threats to financial stability, citizens' wellbeing and its monetary policy sovereignty.
Kazakhstan security forces on high alert in Almaty amid calls for fresh protests
Security forces blocked several downtown streets and cordoned off one of the squares in Kazakhstan's biggest city Almaty on Wednesday (19 January) as an opposition group planned to stage protests, a Reuters correspondent reported from the scene.
Kazakh FM: We had no choice but to call the Russian troops
Kazakhstan's Foreign Minister Mukhtar Tileuberdi said on Tuesday (18 January) the situation in his country was normalising, following the unrest that shook it in the first days of the new year, and Russian troops, which he said helped prevent a possible coup d'etat, were withdrawing.
Russia-led bloc starts pulling troops out of Kazakhstan
A Russia-led military bloc began pulling its troops out of Kazakhstan on Thursday (13 January) after a week-long deployment during the worst bout of unrest in the Central Asian nation's post-Soviet history.
Insider’s account: The Kazakhstan unrest
A trusted EURACTIV source in Almaty gave a rare first-hand account of the Kazakhstan unrest that shook up the Central Asian country in the first days of 2022.
Kazakh president fires rare criticism at predecessor after unrest
Kazakhstan's President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev issued rare criticism of his long-ruling predecessor Tuesday (11 January), and said he expected Russian-led forces to leave the troubled Central Asian country in the next 10 days.
Russia-led troops to start leaving Kazakhstan
A Russia-led military bloc will begin withdrawing its troops from Kazakhstan in two days' time after fulfilling its main mission of stabilising the Central Asian country after serious unrest, Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said on Tuesday (11 January).
EU ministers to consider measures over Kazakh crackdown
EU foreign ministers will this week discuss possible measures to respond to the crackdown against anti-government protests in Kazakhstan over the past week, a French minister said on Sunday (9 January).
Geopolitics looms large at French presidency launch
The unrest in Kazakhstan, the tensions around Ukraine and the need to have a credible European policy vis-à-vis Russia dominated the high point of the inauguration of the French Presidency of the Council of the EU.