KAZAKHSTAN AND THE UNITED STATES: STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP IN A NEW GEOPOLITICS

Abstract

The partnership between the US and Kazakhstan is taking on new dimensions in the context of the military conflict between Russia and Ukraine, the growing influence of China, and the increased activity of other actors in the region. In the face of geopolitical instability, Kazakhstan seeks to preserve and strengthen its sovereignty and independence, based on a multi-vector foreign policy strategy. Therefore, the strengthening and expansion of the American vector is actualizing.

The US strategic interest decline in Kazakhstan and the region as a whole after the withdrawal of allied troops from Afghanistan led to their practical displacement of Central Asia to the periphery of American foreign policy. However, the war in Ukraine once again attracted the attention of Washington to the Central Asia region. As a result, the C5+1 dialogue platform was created, the "U.S. Strategy for Central Asia for 2019-2025" was adopted, and the region was mentioned in the US "National Security Strategy of 2022".

These documents define the main characteristics of relations between Kazakhstan and the US. The authors of the article analyze the coincidence of Washington's strategy with the main national interest of Kazakhstan. Both sides are interested in mutually beneficial cooperation in areas such as economy, energy, education, and security.

Despite the fact that the American vector in the Kazakhstan foreign policy is inferior in intensity to the Russian, Chinese, and even European ones, the strategic partnership between Astana and Washington allows both sides to address their own and common tasks within the framework of regional and international security and cooperation.

In the current situation, the expansion of the Western direction in foreign policy, especially in the context of the development of relations with the United States, can play an important role in ensuring balance in the region and strengthening the sovereignty of the state.