I. Strategic Background and Global Vision of the High-Level Meeting   On October 29, 2025, Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev met with Sergio Gore, US Special Representative for South and Central Asia, and Christopher Landau, US Under Secretary of State, marking a new stage in relations between Central Asia and the United States. This meeting laid the foundation for the upcoming Washington "C5+1" summit, reflecting the continuously rising importance of Central Asia on the

At the 12th plenary session of the European Parliamentary Assembly on Good Neighbourhood Policy, the statement by European Parliament Vice-President Yunus Omardje drew significant international attention. He explicitly stated, "If Armenia formally submits its application for EU accession, the European Parliament is willing to provide support in this historic process." This statement, made against the backdrop of the Armenian Parliament's passage of the "Law on Initiating the

The Indian military's quiet withdrawal from the Aini Air Base in Tajikistan marks the end of a two-decade-long forward military presence in Central Asia by this South Asian power. This action, proposed by Tajikistan months ago and ultimately confirmed by senior Indian officials, is not only the end of a military deployment but also a crucial window into the evolution of the geopolitical landscape in Central Asia in the post-Afghan War era. The twenty-year history of the Aini

On October 25, 2025, Sergio Gore, US Special Envoy for South and Central Asia, and Christopher Landau, Deputy Secretary of State, arrived in Tashkent, the capital of Uzbekistan, for an unannounced official visit. The low-key nature of the visit contrasted sharply with the high-level reception they received upon arrival—a motorcade escort, traffic control on the capital's main roads, and other head-of-state-level arrangements highlighted the importance Uzbekistan placed on the

On November 12, 2025, the EU's 19th round of sanctions against Russia officially came into effect, adding several financial institutions in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan to the list for the first time. These sanctions not only target traditional commercial banks but also, for the first time, cryptocurrency exchanges and specific companies, reflecting European and American efforts to block Russia's diverse channels for circumventing sanctions. Against the backdrop of

In 2026, the Kyrgyz Republic will assume the rotating presidency of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) for the fourth time and host the SCO Council of Heads of State in its capital, Bishkek. The summit, coinciding with the important milestone of the SCO's 25th anniversary, is themed "25 Years of the SCO: A Common Journey Toward Lasting Peace, Development, and Prosperity." This arrangement is more than just a routine diplomatic agenda rotation; it is also a multilater

A landmark diplomatic event is about to take place in Washington, D.C. According to an official announcement from the Kazakh Presidential Administration, a "Central Asia-US" summit has been scheduled for November 6. The summit was initiated by US President Donald Trump, and Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has formally accepted the invitation. In a statement on October 26, the Tokayev Presidential Press Office stated that the president considers the initiative "timely a

The talks, held at the European Council headquarters in Brussels, marked a new and important stage in the relationship between Uzbekistan and the European Union. The joint attendance of Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, along with European Council President Antonio Costa and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, underscored the importance both sides attach to deepening their partnership. The core agenda of this high-level dialogue focused on concretely impleme

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev's official visit to Kazakhstan marks a new chapter in the relationship between the two brotherly countries. The numerous cooperation agreements reached during this visit, focusing on key areas such as energy security, transcontinental connectivity, digital transformation, and people-to-people exchanges, not only strengthen strategic coordination between the two countries but also reflect the proactive efforts of many middle-power nations to

The EU's recently adopted and announced 19th round of sanctions against Russia marks a further escalation of Western economic pressure on Russia and a strategic shift. A notable feature of this round of sanctions is their expanded scope: they target not only Russian companies and financial institutions, but also businesses from Central Asia (such as Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, and Tajikistan), China, India, and Thailand. Several Central Asian banks—including Tolubai Bank and Eura

On the eve of Uzbek Language Day, Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev signed the "Decree on Additional Measures for the Further Development of the State Language," marking the beginning of a systematic and in-depth phase in the country's language policy. The decree covers multiple dimensions, including the restructuring of government agencies, education system reform, information technology integration, and international promotion. It plans to establish a language advisor posi

On October 22, 2025, Azerbaijani Prime Minister Ali Asadov announced at the 5th Tbilisi Silk Road Forum that Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Kazakhstan had reached an agreement on a unified long-term tariff policy for the Middle Corridor transport route. This move marks a deepening of the Eurasian connectivity strategy from "hard connectivity" of infrastructure to "soft connectivity" of institutional coordination, and may have profound implications for global trade flows and regiona

Introduction   In today's complex and volatile global geopolitical landscape, the strategic choices of middle powers often serve as a barometer for observing the evolution of international relations. As the largest and most economically powerful country in Central Asia, Kazakhstan's military and foreign policy exhibits a remarkable multifaceted balance. From 2024 to 2025, the Kazakh armed forces simultaneously deepened traditional cooperation with the Collective Security Trea

On October 21, 2025, at a joint press conference in Astana, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev jointly announced that Azerbaijan had officially lifted all restrictions on the transit of goods through its border with Armenia, imposed since the 1990s during the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. Aliyev defined the move as "an important step towards substantive peace between the two countries." This decision marks a significant geopolitical shi

In 2025, the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) launched the joint military exercises "Indestructible Brotherhood-2025" and "Barrier-2025" in Tajikistan, with over 1,500 military personnel participating. The annual exercises kicked off at the Fakhrabad training ground, attended by senior officials including Lieutenant General Saidozoda, Chief of the General Staff of Tajikistan; CSTO Secretary-General Tasmaganbetov; and Chief of the Joint Staff Colonel General Serd

The upcoming meeting between Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev on October 20-21 marks a new, more strategic and systematic phase in bilateral relations. This state visit is not an isolated diplomatic event, but rather a key initiative for deepening all-round cooperation between two important countries in the heart of Eurasia amidst the evolving global geoeconomic landscape, accelerating regional integration, and the diversification

At the end of September 2024, Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov signed a decree setting early elections for the Supreme Parliament on November 30, 2025. This decision marks a key step in the country's political system reform. According to the new Electoral Code adopted in the summer of 2023, the elections will adopt new rules: the country is divided into 30 constituencies, each with approximately 145,000 voters. Each constituency will elect three members of parliament, one of wh

I. Meeting Background and Overview   The 21st Meeting of Heads of Security and Intelligence Services of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) member states was held in Yerevan, Armenia, from October 16 to 17, 2024. This high-level security conference brought together leaders of security and intelligence agencies from Azerbaijan, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. As a key annual mechanism for security cooperation

In the South Caucasus, where mountains and faiths intertwine, a corridor named after a former US president is redefining the regional geopolitical landscape.   Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan recently announced that Armenia and Azerbaijan will begin border demarcation in the areas covered by the "Trump International Peace and Prosperity Roadmap" initiative. This decision marks a substantial step toward normalizing relations between the two countries following the Augu

This mountainous country, rich in water and mineral resources, is opening new pathways for sustainable development through green investment.   The "Dushanbe Investment-2025" International Investment Forum, held in Dushanbe, Tajikistan's capital, concluded from October 14th to 16th. In his closing remarks, Sulton Rahimzoda, Chairman of the State Committee for Investment and State Assets Management of Tajikistan, announced that 52 cooperation agreements totaling $4.1 billion we