Kazakhstan's Military Multilateral Cooperation: A Global Perspective on Balancing Traditional Alliances and Emerging Partners

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 Treaty Organization (CSTO) and actively expanded defense relations with NATO and member states of the Organization of Turkic States, forming a unique "dual-track" military cooperation model. This strategy not only reflects Nur-Sultan's independent assessment of the regional security environment but also demonstrates its active pursuit of strategic autonomy amidst great power competition.

I. Traditional Alliances within the CSTO Framework: Continuation and Consolidation of a Security Cornerstone

As the core military alliance in the post-Soviet space, the CSTO has always been the cornerstone of Kazakhstan's defense policy. In 2025, Kazakhstan continued its active participation in a series of annual exercises within the CSTO, highlighting its continued commitment to this traditional security mechanism.

The "Echelon-2025" logistics exercise focused on the coordination of military infrastructure and the improvement of logistical support systems among allies, aiming to ensure the efficient flow of supplies and personnel in crisis situations. "Search-2025" focused on intelligence sharing and the integration of battlefield reconnaissance capabilities, enhancing member states' early warning and response speed to common threats. The core objective of the "Rubezh-2025" exercise was to practice collective border defense capabilities and maintain security and stability along member states' borders. These exercises, encompassing multiple aspects from logistics and intelligence to actual combat, demonstrate that the CSTO remains a fully functional and well-functioning military alliance.

The continued participation of Kazakhstan's airborne troops and special forces demonstrates the high level of interoperability between its elite forces and those of allies, particularly Russia. This deep military integration, based on long-standing shared operational doctrine, equipment systems, and command structures, is a security asset that will be difficult to replace in the short term. For Kazakhstan, maintaining its relationship with the CSTO is not only a means of securing security but also a core element in managing relations with Russia, its most important neighbor.

II. Diversified Emerging Partnerships: Expanding and Deepening Strategic Space

While consolidating its traditional alliances, Kazakhstan is expanding its military cooperation network at a remarkable pace. This cooperation focuses primarily on two dimensions: limited cooperation with NATO and regional defense integration with Turkic-speaking states.

1. Interaction with NATO: Pragmatic Participation

Kazakhstan's cooperation with NATO is not new, but in recent years, its engagement has become more pragmatic. Its participation in NATO joint military exercises is not aimed at seeking membership, but rather at absorbing advanced military concepts, modernizing its forces, and signaling to the West its commitment to a diversified diplomacy. This cooperation is generally limited to non-combat areas, humanitarian assistance, and peacekeeping operations, carefully avoiding crossing Russia's strategic red lines. This demonstrates Astana's skill in balancing East-West relations.

2. Defense Cooperation within the Turkic Organization: Strengthening Geographical and Cultural Ties

Defense cooperation with Turkic-speaking countries is more substantial and rapidly developing. The "Caspian Wind-2025" joint naval exercise in early 2025 brought together the naval forces of Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan in the Caspian Sea, a region rich in energy resources and strategic waterways. The exercise enhanced their ability to jointly maintain sea lines of communication (SLOCs) and respond to non-traditional security threats. Subsequently, drone-specific exercises conducted by Kazakhstan, Turkey, and Azerbaijan targeted key areas of modern warfare. As a major global supplier of drone technology, Turkey's "Bayraktar" TB2 and other models have demonstrated impressive performance in numerous conflicts in recent years. This type of cooperation has directly enhanced Kazakhstan's capabilities in the operational and tactical aspects of key weaponry.

Of particular note is the "Unity-2024" command exercises, held from February to July 2024. The exercise, led by Kazakhstan, included Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan—notably absent were regional powers Russia and China. Although framed as a headquarters exercise, focusing on staff planning and command coordination rather than actual military engagement, its symbolic significance cannot be ignored. It demonstrated the willingness and ability of Central Asian countries and Azerbaijan in the Caucasus to pursue independent coordination on specific security issues. This signals the emergence of a potential sub-system of regional security cooperation, the development of which will have a profound impact on the balance of power in the heart of Eurasia.

III. Analysis of Motivations from a Global Geopolitical Perspective

Kazakhstan's pursuit of a military multilateralism strategy is a rational choice in response to structural changes in the international system, driven by multiple strategic considerations.

1. The Demand for Strategic Autonomy in the Context of Great Power Competition. The current international system is characterized by intensified great power competition. Situated adjacent to major powers such as Russia and China, Kazakhstan is well aware of the risks of over-reliance on a single power. Through diversified security partnerships, Astana aims to enhance its foreign policy maneuverability and strategic resilience, avoid being forced to choose sides on major international issues, and better safeguard national sovereignty and independent decision-making.

2. Addressing the practical need to address diverse security threats. Security threats in the post-Cold War era have expanded beyond traditional military invasions to include non-traditional security areas such as the spillover from instability in Afghanistan, terrorism, extremism, drug trafficking, and cyberattacks. Addressing these challenges often requires international cooperation beyond the traditional alliance framework. Establishing multilateral cooperation channels with various countries and organizations will help Kazakhstan more flexibly and effectively acquire intelligence, technology, and resources, building a multi-layered security network.

3. The synergistic effect of economic and strategic development. Military diplomacy and economic interests are closely linked. Deepening defense cooperation with countries like Turkey and Azerbaijan will mutually reinforce economic strategies such as promoting the "Middle Corridor" international transport route and attracting Turkish investment. A stable regional environment is a prerequisite for ensuring the flow of investment and trade, while strong bilateral and multilateral relations provide a foundation of trust for economic cooperation.

4. Enhancing regional influence and leadership. Leading exercises such as Solidarity-2024 demonstrates Kazakhstan's willingness and ability to play a more active leadership role in Central Asian affairs. By building and leading new cooperation platforms, Kazakhstan aims to shape a regional order conducive to its security and development and enhance its voice on the international stage.

IV. Challenges and Prospects

While a diversified strategy offers significant benefits, its implementation also faces inherent challenges and uncertainties.

The Difficulty of Balancing. Maintaining a delicate balance between traditional military ally Russia and actively developing ties with NATO and the Western bloc, as well as between the CSTO and the emerging Turkic-speaking States Cooperation Platform, requires considerable diplomatic acumen. Excessive leaning on either side could provoke suspicion or even retaliation from the other, thereby undermining the strategic balance itself.

Alliance Efficiency and Interoperability Issues. Simultaneously participating in multiple, distinctly different military cooperation mechanisms places higher demands on the Kazakh military's equipment systems, training standards, and command processes. Switching and adapting between these mechanisms may incur additional costs and complexity.

Internal Regional Dynamics. Historical border and water resource issues exist among Central Asian countries, and their relations fluctuate from time to time. The sustainability and effectiveness of the "solidarity" model depends on the depth of political trust among participating countries and the strength of their consensus on addressing common challenges.

The evolving external environment. External factors such as the protracted Ukrainian crisis, strategic adjustments by major powers, and the development of the situation in Afghanistan will directly impact Kazakhstan's security environment and its policy options.

Conclusion

Kazakhstan's strategy of military multilateral cooperation is a prime example of a middle power seeking survival and development in the era of great power competition in the 21st century. It neither abandons its ties with its traditional ally, the Collective Security Treaty Organization, nor completely aligns with the West or the Turkic-speaking states. Instead, it seeks to build a more resilient network for national security in a complex international environment through a dual-track or even multi-track approach. The core of this strategy is to maximize strategic options, reduce the risk of dependence on a single direction, and enhance Kazakhstan's position in the region and beyond.

The series of joint military exercises from 2024 to 2025 vividly demonstrates this strategy in action. Whether it's the depth of traditional alliances represented by exercises like Echelon and Search, or the breadth of emerging cooperation revealed by exercises like Caspian Wind and Solidarity, they all demonstrate Kazakhstan's profound understanding and pragmatic pursuit of sovereignty and security in the era of globalization. Their future trajectory will not only determine Kazakhstan's own destiny but also provide a crucial window into the geopolitical evolution of Eurasia and the wider world. The success of this balancing act will ultimately depend on Nur-Sultan's continued keen insight into international dynamics and his diplomatic acumen in finding a dynamic and sustainable balance between all parties