Tokayev Deepens U.S. Ties for 21 Million Kazakhstan as He Balances Russia and China
Updated
Updated · The New York Times · Jun 28
Tokayev Deepens U.S. Ties for 21 Million Kazakhstan as He Balances Russia and China
3 articles · Updated · The New York Times · Jun 28
Summary
Kazakhstan’s 21 million people are at the center of President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev’s push to deepen U.S. ties while preserving what he calls a multivector foreign policy.
That strategy aims to win greater independence and security for the landlocked state by counterbalancing its two giant neighbors, Russia and China, with investment from farther afield.
The outreach extends beyond Washington to Europe, South Korea, Turkey and Middle Eastern states, with the Netherlands, Switzerland and the UAE among countries helping shape Kazakhstan’s economic footprint.
Astana’s skyline reflects that balancing act, with Russian, Chinese, American and Emirati projects clustered together as symbols of Tokayev’s effort to avoid overreliance on any single power.