The United States is trying to remove the former Soviet republics of Central Asia from Russian influence

The Biden administration is seeking to distance Russia from the former Soviet sphere of influence in Central Asia, a region that has remained largely neutral in the Ukraine war and where China is also trying to increase its weight. To this end, the US Secretary of State, Anthony Blinken, met this Tuesday in the capital of Kazakhstan, Astana, with their counterparts from the five former Central Asian republics of the USSR — the so-called C5+1 group: Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan plus the United States — to show them the political and economic support from Washington.

Blinken announced a package of 25 million dollars to help them “not depend on one country” and to “diversify their trade relationships,” after reiterating the White House’s support for the sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of the five Central Asian countries. In his first visit to Central Asia since taking office, the head of US diplomacy assured that “if we allow Russia to violate these principles with impunity, then He can think about more aggressions against other countries”.

In response, the President of Kazakhstan, Kasim-Jomart Tokajev, He said he “appreciates the continued strong support of the United States for its territorial and sovereign independence.” However, at a joint press conference with Blinken, Kazakhstan’s foreign minister, Mukhtar Tleuberdi, He emphasized that at the moment “we do not see or feel any risk or threat from the Russian Federation”.

One of the biggest concerns for the United States is the influence of former Soviet countries on Russia’s ability to avoid sanctions imposed by war. Russia and Kazakhstan are the founders Eurasian Economic Union which abolished customs duties on the border they share. Tleuberdi, however, assured that his country is trying to “avoid any possibility of the Russians circumventing the sanctions.”

Kazakhstan, which shares a nearly 7,600-kilometer border with Russia, was the Central Asian country that spoke most in favor of Ukraine’s territorial integrity and refused to admit to the self-proclaimed pro-Russian republics of Luhansk and Donetsk, which Moscow later illegally annexed.

Blinken used the meeting in Astana to repeat warnings to Beijing about possible arms shipments to Russia. China “he cannot present peace proposals on the one hand, while on the other he is fanning the flames of fire initiated by Russia,” he said, referring to the peace plan unveiled last week. He stressed that the U.S. “will not hesitate” to punish Chinese individuals or companies that violate sanctions imposed on Moscow or “engage in supporting Russia’s war effort.”