Central Asia in May 2026: the most important developments in politics
Central Asia in May 2026 was defined by Kazakhstan's diplomacy. Russian President Vladimir Putin made a state visit to Kazakhstan on 27 and 28 May, which also included a summit of the Eurasian Economic Union. He and President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev held talks in Astana, stressed the role of the Commonwealth of Independent States in Eurasian security, and signed energy and financial agreements, among them a gas pipeline deal and a foreign exchange swap. Putin said the two countries were building more than a nuclear plant, and his aide Yuri Ushakov called the visit very good. Earlier in the month Tokayev attended Victory Day in Moscow, and Putin thanked him for it.
Kazakhstan also engaged other partners. Turkey and Kazakhstan signed new agreements covering areas from education to energy. Belarus and Kazakhstan agreed to expand cooperation in architecture and urban planning. Tokayev held phone calls with the presidents of Russia, Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan and Armenia. The US National Security Adviser was set to visit Kazakhstan for talks on regional security, and the US Senate confirmed a Kazakhstan native for a senior post.
Elsewhere in the region, Iran's Energy Minister delivered a message from President Masoud Pezeshkian to Tajik President Emomali Rahmon in Dushanbe, and Turkmenistan showed signs of cautiously opening up.
by WorldBrief & Maksim Micheliov | AI-generated summary
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