Kazakh analyst Kuat Dombai notes that China has become Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan’s top trading partner, “displacing Russia for the first time since the Russian Empire colonized the region.”
On the eve of BRICS summitKazakhstan declared that the country continued to “observe with interest the evolution” of this organization and that, despite the proposals received by President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, the question of membership was not yet on the table. agenda for Astana. President Tokayev said that in the current circumstances the United Nations had no other choice.
Shortly after, it was learned that Russia was restricting imports of agricultural products from Kazakhstan, particularly vegetables and cut flowers.
“Kazakhstan re-exports most flowers from the Netherlands, Poland and Belgium. However, the relevant agencies of these countries do not ensure the appropriate level of product safety control. The decision was taken in order to preserve the phytosanitary well-being of Russia and the volume of exported goods, as well as in view of the numerous cases (43 cases) of detection in 2023 and 2024 in floral products of the object of quarantine for the member countries of the ‘Eurasian Economic Union – the western flower thrips (Frankliniella occidentalis Pergande), which is a polyphagous Potential economic damage from the penetration and spread of the western flower thrips amounts to more than 11.5 billion rubles. “, Rosselkhoznadzor (Russia’s Federal Veterinary and Phytosanitary Control Service) said in a statement.
Officially, the Kazakh authorities “do not associate” Russia’s decision to restrict imports of agricultural products from the country with the latter’s refusal to apply for membership in the BRICS. This was announced by the Deputy Prime Minister of Kazakhstan, Serik Zhumangarin, during a briefing.
But, as some Russian-speaking media note, a similar situation occurred in February when importing bananas from Ecuador. The country said it would hand over Soviet-style weapons to the United States for delivery to Ukraine. A day later, Rosselkhoznadzor discovered a polyphagous humpback fly in bananas from five of Ecuador’s largest exporters and banned imports. A few days later, Ecuador changed its mind on the supply of weapons.
Growing pressure on Kazakhstan
Kuat Dombai, director of the C+5 Center for Central Asian Studies, commented on the dynamics of relations between Russia and Kazakhstan for Euronews.
“Restrictions and bans on imports of agricultural products and wheat between Kazakhstan and Russia undoubtedly reflect increasing pressure on Kazakhstan, although this is not the first time they have occurred. Previously, Russia has repeatedly banned the transit of Kazakh oil through the Novorossiysk seaport under various pretexts of technical failures at the terminal, which has coincided with pressing issues in bilateral relations While more than 80% of Kazakh oil is. exported to Europe in this way”, underlines the analyst.
Why did Astana make such a decision regarding BRICS membership?
“Kazakhstan has repeatedly stated that it does not intend to violate or, to some extent, circumvent the sanctions measures imposed on Russia in connection with the war in Ukraine, which is in practice a very difficult task, given the extent of their border – the second longest international border in the world, – which extends over 6,846 km kilometers, and the fact that Astana is also part of a single customs area with Russia within the EAEU”, explains Kuat Dombai.
The BRICS meeting stands in Kazan as Russian troops destroy Ukrainian towns and villages. How does Russian military aggression affect relations between Russia and Kazakhstan?
“Kazakhstan undoubtedly found itself in a very difficult economic situation, under the threat of secondary sanctions, traditional logistics chains were destroyed and Kazakh society logically and soberly projected the threat of possible next territorial claims. Being given that after the collapse of the USSR, two countries – Kazakhstan and Ukraine – were signatories to the Budapest Memorandum with guarantees from the West in exchange for the abandonment of nuclear weapons”, explains the analyst.
Kremlin says BRICS ‘is not an alliance against anyone’
Many Western observers believe that amid international sanctions and ongoing military aggression against Ukraine, Russia is trying to show that plans to isolate Vladimir Putin have failed.
The Kremlin says more than 30 countries have applied to join BRICS, but the exact list of countries has not been disclosed.
Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said in an interview with Russian media that “BRICS does not force anyone to sacrifice anything.” According to him, “this association is not against anyone”. The head of Russian diplomacy also noted that regarding Kazakhstan’s statements on the UN, “it is necessary to clarify this position.”
“Kazakhstan is a member of many other organizations – OSCE, CIS, CSTO, SCO and an active member of the Organization of Turkic States which, on the initiative of Turkey, is currently strengthening its ties and The organization pays great attention to representatives of our Central Asian allies and strategic partners. None of this prevents Kazakhstan or other Central Asian countries from actively participating in the United Nations. .. It seems to me that in the long term, our southern neighbors, our CSTO and EAEU allies, first of all, will see the direct benefits of rapprochement with the BRICS It is not. necessary to join, but to cooperate in the implementation of specific projects – there is no doubt about this. It is in all our interests,” Lavrov said.