Foreign media on Kazakhstan: Why Kazakhstan is positioning itself as Eurasia’s pragmatic power broker; Assessing strategic significance of Kazakh president’s visit to Pakistan

Eureporter: Tokayev’s realpolitik moment: Why Kazakhstan is positioning itself as Eurasia’s pragmatic power broker

According to Eureporter, Kazakhstan’s President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev is not prone to ideological grandstanding. His political language reflects diplomatic discipline and strategic realism shaped by decades in international institutions. That approach was evident in his recent interview in Islamabad, where he outlined Kazakhstan’s worldview as one built on connectivity, neutrality, institutional reform, and balance.

Speaking on ties with Pakistan, Tokayev described the country as a strategic partner and stressed that diplomacy today is inseparable from logistics. He highlighted more than 60 bilateral agreements signed during his visit and underscored the strategic importance of the Kazakhstan–Turkmenistan–Afghanistan–Pakistan transport corridor, saying Astana is ready to participate in its development. The project, he argued, would link Central and South Asia, diversify trade routes, and enhance regional resilience.

Tokayev’s remarks reflected a broader embrace of geopolitical realism. He praised the U.S. President Donald Trump as “a strong and forward-looking leader” who prioritized national interests and “common-sense policies,” signaling Astana’s readiness for a more transactional global order.

On the Middle East, Tokayev defended Kazakhstan’s participation in the Abraham Accords as a “forward-looking initiative,” while reaffirming support for a two-state solution. He stressed that economic development can support peace, but cannot replace political settlement, a point he reiterated when discussing Gaza.

Kazakhstan’s neutrality on Ukraine remains firm. Tokayev said the country supports an exclusively diplomatic solution and is ready to offer “good offices” without acting as a mediator.

Taken together, the interview reads as a statement of middle-power realism. Kazakhstan seeks stability at home, connectivity abroad, and balanced diplomacy as a survival strategy in an increasingly polarized world.

Eurasianet: Assessing strategic significance of Kazakh president’s visit to Pakistan

Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev’s state visit to Pakistan, concluded on February 4, underscored a pragmatic shift in Central Asia’s geo-economic outlook, with Pakistan increasingly viewed as a viable southern gateway for regional trade, Eurasianet reports.

Beyond trade deals, the visit marked a transition from symbolic diplomacy to practical cooperation. Officials described the relationship as moving from distant engagement to a “project-oriented mode, with concrete routes, contracts, market access, logistics, and transit.”

“For Kazakhstan, Pakistan is not just a market in South Asia but also access to the ports of the Arabian Sea and, consequently, alternative export corridors,” one official commentary noted, reflecting concern over reliance on a limited number of routes.

At the core of the visit was a proposed rail corridor linking Kazakhstan to Pakistani ports via Afghanistan and Turkmenistan, reportedly valued at around $7 billion. If implemented, it would directly connect Central Asian producers to the Arabian Sea and reduce dependence on traditional transit routes.

The visit suggests Astana now sees connectivity, not rhetoric, as the foundation of its regional strategy.

The Times of Central Asia: Kazakhstan reshapes copper export flows amid rising global demand

As global demand for copper accelerates, driven by the energy transition and digital economy, Kazakhstan is not only expanding production but also adjusting the geography of its exports, The Times of Central Asia reports.

According to analysts at Energyprom.kz, Kazakhstan produced 471,000 tons of refined copper in 2025, up 1.5% from 2024, signaling stabilization after years of volatility. Output had fallen sharply in 2021 due to major repairs and pandemic disruptions but recovered to near pre-crisis levels by 2024.

Despite rising global demand, Kazakhstan’s total refined copper exports declined in 2025. The structure of exports, however, shifted noticeably. Shipments to Türkiye rose by more than 15%, lifting its share to 40.9% of total exports. Together, China and Türkiye accounted for about 90% of exports, although deliveries to other markets increased more than fourfold, an early sign of diversification.

Global demand trends support this strategy. S&P Global forecasts copper consumption to rise by about 55% by 2040, driven by electric vehicles, renewables, power grids, and data centers. While China will remain Kazakhstan’s key market, growing interest from Türkiye and other Asian economies is gradually improving export resilience.

Euronews: Kazakhstan is reshaping the gorges of the Tien Shan into a single, world-class ski circuit

Kazakhstan is building a unified mountain tourism network in the Ile-Alatau, linking ski runs across five routes and gorges into a single system of pistes, lifts and trails, Euronews reports. The Almaty Mountain Cluster project aims to connect existing resorts with new infrastructure, creating more than 200 kilometres of runs across the northern slopes of the Tien Shan.

Following a directive from President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, the government approved a development plan to turn the area into an international, year-round destination. The full network is scheduled to open by 2029, with a single ski pass allowing travel across interconnected resorts. Officials estimate capacity at up to 24,000 visitors per day and as many as 1.7 million foreign tourists annually.

Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov called the mountains one of the country’s key natural assets when presenting the plans in 2025. The project includes new cable cars, hiking trails and service facilities, alongside environmental and safety upgrades.

Professional skiers highlight the region’s conditions. “In virtually every gorge where a ski area can be developed, there is excellent snow,” said instructor Nikolai Khan. Authorities say the cluster will balance tourism growth with protection of the national park’s fragile ecosystem.

BBC: Kazakhstan to host 2029 Asian Winter Games

Kazakhstan will host the 2029 Asian Winter Games after Saudi Arabia's withdrawal, BBC reports.

Almaty has been named as the new venue by the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA).

The decision was announced at the Winter Olympic Games in Italy, where OCA President Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al Thani thanked Kazakhstan for its commitment to developing winter sports.

The Games - scheduled to be held at the Trojena resort in the new Saudi Arabian city of Neom - were initially postponed last month.

The reports suggest that discussions were held on the possibility of Saudi Arabia hosting the Games in 2033 instead.

You can read last week’s weekly digest here.