Saudi Press

Saudi Arabia and the world
Sunday, Aug 24, 2025

European Union and Carnegie Europe present Letter from Nur-Sultan

European Union and Carnegie Europe present Letter from Nur-Sultan

Letter from Nur-Sultan, an event held Dec. 5 in the capital, focused on the regional dimension of the European Union (EU) Central Asia strategy and whether it is an adequate answer 21st-century challenges.
“The EU needs a more assertive strategy. This would entail shifting from a simple, general dialogue with the target country, based on ideas and principles, to a more meaningful dialogue based on explicit criteria for implementing those ideas and principles,” said Kazakhstan Institute for Strategic Studies chief research fellow Murat Laumulin in the event’s accompanying document.

“The EU should be lauded for successfully negotiating the Enhanced Partnership and Cooperation Agreement with Kazakhstan. What’s needed now by Brussels and Nur-Sultan is implementing it. The Central Asia strategy could also be made more flexible in terms of the projects and mandates that specific EU institutions in the recipient countries are authorised to accomplish. This game could be made more sophisticated by turning soft power – where Europe is stronger – into a geopolitical asset,” he added.

Carnegie Europe visiting scholar Dr. Stefan Lehne offered his expertise on the European region, noting a dynamic policy in Asia is impossible without a very strong policy in Central Asia.

“The EU already is a big player in this region, as it accounts for over 50 percent of foreign direct investment, which is quite a significant part, and I think 28 percent of trade. Central Asia is at the crossroads of not only East and West, but also potentially between North and South. You cannot really have a dynamic Asia policy without also a very strong policy in Central Asia. Now, I think the ambassador mentioned that these are supposed to be non-exclusive relationships… It’s more of a traditional use of a concept of soft power, in terms of regional cooperation with Central Asian countries, and it’s not exclusive in terms of being open for the participation of China, Russia, India and other countries,” he said.

The EU is aiming to become a reliable and committed partner for the region, remaining open for partnership with everyone, said Head of the EU Mission to Kazakhstan Ambassador Sven-Olov Carlsson.

“The EU’s partnership with the region is not directed against anyone. Kazakhstan and the other Central Asian countries appreciate our ability to engage on a non-exclusive basis without imposing binary choices. The EU does not aim to be a ‘great game’ player on a ‘grand chessboard,’ but rather a reliable and committed partner for the region. We remain open for cooperation and synergies with everyone, including China and Russia, based on full transparency and fully respecting the Central Asian states’ ownership and sovereignty,” he added.

The event was also attended by Austrian Ambassador to Kazakhstan Gerhard Sailler and Ministry of Foreign Affairs Foreign Policy Analysis and Forecasting Department Director Talgat Kaliyev, as well as Kazakh experts and representatives of the academic and diplomatic corps. The event was held following the adoption of the renewed EU Strategy for Central Asia in July, which outlines the way the EU and Central Asian countries can work closer on issues such as resilience, prosperity and regional cooperation.
Newsletter

Related Articles

Saudi Press
0:00
0:00
Close
More Than Half a Million Evacuated as Typhoon Kajiki Heads for Vietnam
HSBC Switzerland Ends Relationships with Over 1,000 Clients from Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Qatar, and Egypt
Sharia Law Made Legally Binding in Austria Despite Warnings Over 'Incompatible' Values
Dogfights in the Skies: Airbus on Track to Overtake Boeing and Claim Aviation Supremacy
Tim Cook Promises an AI Revolution at Apple: "One of the Most Significant Technologies of Our Generation"
Are AI Data Centres the Infrastructure of the Future or the Next Crisis?
Miles Worth Billions: How Airlines Generate Huge Profits
Zelenskyy Returns to White House Flanked by European Allies as Trump Pressures Land-Swap Deal with Putin
Beijing is moving into gold and other assets, diversifying away from the dollar
Cristiano Ronaldo Makes Surprise Stop at New Hong Kong Museum
Zelenskyy to Visit Washington after Trump–Putin Summit Yields No Agreement
High-Stakes Trump-Putin Summit on Ukraine Underway in Alaska
Iranian Protection Offers Chinese Vehicle Shipments a Cost Advantage over Japanese and Korean Makers
Saudi Arabia accelerates renewables to curb domestic oil use
Cristiano Ronaldo and Georgina Rodríguez announce engagement
Asia-Pacific dominates world’s busiest flight routes, with South Korea’s Jeju–Seoul corridor leading global rankings
Private Welsh island with 19th-century fort listed for sale at over £3 million
Sam Altman challenges Elon Musk with plans for Neuralink rival
Australia to Recognize the State of Palestine at UN Assembly
The Collapse of the Programmer Dream: AI Experts Now the Real High-Earners
Armenia and Azerbaijan to Sign US-Brokered Framework Agreement for Nakhchivan Corridor
British Labour Government Utilizes Counter-Terrorism Tools for Social Media Monitoring Against Legitimate Critics
WhatsApp Deletes 6.8 Million Scam Accounts Amid Rising Global Fraud
Nine people have been hospitalized and dozens of salmonella cases have been reported after an outbreak of infections linked to certain brands of pistachios and pistachio-containing products, according to the Public Health Agency of Canada
Texas Residents Face Water Restrictions While AI Data Centers Consume Millions of Gallons
Tariffs, AI, and the Shifting U.S. Macro Landscape: Navigating a New Economic Regime
India Rejects U.S. Tariff Threat, Defends Russian Oil Purchases
United States Establishes Strategic Bitcoin Reserve and Digital Asset Stockpile
Thousands of Private ChatGPT Conversations Accidentally Indexed by Google
China Tightens Mineral Controls, Curtailing Critical Inputs for Western Defence Contractors
OpenAI’s Bold Bet: Teaching AI to Think, Not Just Chat
BP’s Largest Oil and Gas Find in 25 Years Uncovered Offshore Brazil
JPMorgan and Coinbase Unveil Partnership to Let Chase Cardholders Buy Crypto Directly
British Tourist Dies Following Hair Transplant in Turkey, Police Investigate
WhatsApp Users Targeted in New Scam Involving Account Takeovers
Trump Deploys Nuclear Submarines After Threats from Former Russian President Medvedev
Germany’s Economic Breakdown and the Return of Militarization: From Industrial Collapse to a New Offensive Strategy
IMF Upgrades Global Growth Forecast as Weaker Dollar Supports Outlook
Politics is a good business: Barack Obama’s Reported Net Worth Growth, 1990–2025
"Crazy Thing": OpenAI's Sam Altman Warns Of AI Voice Fraud Crisis In Banking
Japanese Prime Minister Vows to Stay After Coalition Loses Upper House Majority
President Trump Diagnosed with Chronic Venous Insufficiency After Leg Swelling
Man Dies After Being Pulled Into MRI Machine Due to Metal Chain in New York Clinic
FIFA Pressured to Rethink World Cup Calendar Due to Climate Change
"Can You Hit Moscow?" Trump Asked Zelensky To Make Putin "Feel The Pain"
Nvidia Becomes World’s First Four‑Trillion‑Dollar Company Amid AI Boom
Iranian President Reportedly Injured During Israeli Strike on Secret Facility
Kurdistan Workers Party Takes Symbolic Step Towards Peace in Northern Iraq
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
×