Georgian Company Strikes Coal Deal with Russian-Occupied Donetsk
Georgian firm George Oil Ltd signed a contract to import coal, metals and chemical products from the Russian‑occupied Donetsk region, planning domestic use and exports to India and Turkey. The deal arrives despite the EU’s full ban on Russian and Donbas coal, raising fresh concerns about sanctions evasion. Georgian authorities publicly deny any breach, yet the agreement underscores Tbilisi’s growing economic reliance on Moscow. The move occurs as U.S.‑Georgia ties face strain amid broader geopolitical pressures.
Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan Tout Themselves as “Strategic Tandem”
Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan are moving from rivalry to partnership, branding their relationship as a “strategic tandem.” A high‑level visit by Kazakh Foreign Minister Yermek Kosherbayev to Tashkent highlighted cooperation across governance, trade, investment, connectivity, cultural, and water‑energy issues. Bilateral trade...
China and Turkmenistan Cannot Get Their Gas Export Numbers Straight
Turkmenistan’s president claimed the country now ships about 40 billion cubic metres (bcm) of gas to China and is working toward 65 bcm, while China’s ambassador said actual 2025 shipments were roughly 30 bcm and will stay flat this year. The gap highlights...
Armenia and Turkey Explore Boosting Energy Connectivity
Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Turkish Energy Minister Alparslan Bayraktar met on the sidelines of an IAEA summit to explore electricity interconnection, nuclear cooperation, and natural‑gas links. The dialogue builds on Pashinyan’s “Real Armenia” agenda, which prioritises economic development...
Chinese Firms Investing in Development of Logistics Hubs in Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan
China Railway Construction Engineering Group signed an agreement with a joint venture of Uzbekistan Railways and Kazakhstan’s PTC Holding to build Silkway Central Asia, an $84 million, 159‑hectare logistics hub near Tashkent. The first phase should be operational by 2027, with...
Russian Power Entities Appear Plagued by Financing Troubles in Central Asia
Russia's state‑linked power firms are hitting financing snags across Central Asia, prompting a rapid loss of lucrative contracts. Kazakhstan abandoned a Russian consortium for China’s Harbin Electric, slashing project costs by nearly $500 million. In 2025, Inter RAO forfeited three Kazakh power‑plant...
Asian Development Bank Giving Central Asia Lots of Attention
The Asian Development Bank announced a $5.4 billion financing plan for Kazakhstan, a $1.1 billion package for Tajikistan, and a $2.5 billion commitment to Azerbaijan, all aimed at strengthening the Middle Corridor trade route. The bank also launched a technical assistance program to...
ISKP Attack in Kabul Punches Holes in Taliban Regime’s Claims
A suicide bomber from the Islamic State Khorasan Province struck a Chinese‑owned restaurant in Kabul on Jan. 19, killing seven and injuring dozens. The attack exposed the Taliban’s inability to guarantee security for foreign nationals, undermining its claims of a safe...
Toward New Political Model: Kazakhstan’s Constitutional Referendum
Kazakhstan will hold a March 15 referendum to adopt a new constitution, replacing the 1995 charter that anchored a strong presidential system. The draft revises more than 80 percent of existing law across 95 articles, aiming to modernize governance for a digital‑focused...
US-Israeli Strikes Against Iran Can Cause Plenty of Collateral Damage to Russia
The United States and Israel’s air campaign against Iran threatens the Russia‑Iran “North‑South” trade corridor, a lifeline that helps Moscow evade Western sanctions and sustain its war in Ukraine. The corridor, recently bolstered by a Russian‑Iran rail modernisation agreement, now...
Armenia and Azerbaijan Grapple with Potential Fallout From Blitz on Iran
Armenia and Azerbaijan are treading carefully after a US‑Israeli strike on Iran, fearing spill‑over effects on regional stability and their joint TRIPP trade corridor. Both governments have issued condolences to Tehran while publicly urging an immediate cease‑fire and denying any...
Following Purge, Kyrgyz President Faces Calls to Ease up on Repressive Measures
President Sadyr Japarov orchestrated a sweeping purge in early February, sidelining security chief Kamchybek Tashiev and removing several ministers, regional mayors and parliamentary deputies. He also curbed the power of the GKNB, arresting its Bishkek head and announcing a new...
Tactical Agreement Proving Elusive for Central Asian States Grappling with Water Deficit
Central Asian states recognize an urgent water shortage as they pursue water‑intensive projects like nuclear plants, data centers and expanded mining. Upstream nations Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan control most supplies, while downstream Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan depend on irrigation, creating a...
Russian Religious Networks and Armenia’s Church-State Confrontation
Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has intensified a clash with senior Armenian Apostolic Church leaders, accusing them of serving Russian intelligence and undermining sovereignty. The dispute highlights Moscow’s use of religious networks as soft‑power tools across the post‑Soviet space, especially...
Uzbekistan Looks West for Help in Developing Entrepreneurial Spirit
Uzbekistan announced a partnership with Harvard, Stanford and the London School of Economics to launch the "Next Generation Entrepreneurs" program, overseen by the Youth Affairs Agency. The initiative targets at least 40,000 students with business‑management training, while the top 1,000...
Georgia Dream Government Strives to Enforce Its Legitimacy
Georgia's ruling Georgian Dream party has pushed amendments that criminalize "systematic" non‑recognition of the government, imposing up to three years in prison. The law targets dissent over the contested October 2024 parliamentary elections, which international observers deemed neither free nor fair....
Kazakhstan Managing Uncertainty over Oil Exports
Kazakhstan’s oil export pathway is under heightened risk as Ukrainian drone attacks cripple the Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC) loading facilities in Novorossiysk, cutting December shipments by roughly 22 percent. The CPC pipeline, which moves over 80 percent of Kazakhstan’s oil,...
Trade Data Gaps Between China and Central Asian States Point to Pervasive Smuggling
A joint review of Chinese, Kazakh and Kyrgyz customs data reveals massive discrepancies in reported trade values, with China claiming $48.7 billion in exports to Kazakhstan and $27.2 billion to Kyrgyzstan in 2025, while the two neighbours report only $34.1 billion and $5 billion...
Turkmen Leader’s Visit to United States Remains Shrouded in Mystery
Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov made a low‑profile trip to the United States from February 16‑18, with reports suggesting a possible meeting at President Trump’s Mar‑a‑Lago club. Turkmen state media offered only vague remarks about fostering "mutually beneficial cooperation," while U.S. officials...
Azerbaijan to Build Baku Tram System
Azerbaijan announced a five‑line tram system for Baku, targeting completion by 2030. The first line will run from the city’s northern outskirts to the May 28 metro station, with an open tender for design and construction expected by the end of...
Uzbekistan and United States Create Foundation for Systematic Economic Cooperation
Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev visited Washington on February 18, signing a suite of agreements that lay the groundwork for systematic economic cooperation with the United States. The deals target expanded U.S. investment in Uzbek critical minerals, petrochemicals, energy, agriculture, water‑resource management...
Russia’s Offer to Build a Small Nuclear Reactor in Kyrgyzstan and Its Implications
In late 2025 President Vladimir Putin announced Russia’s willingness to build a small modular reactor (SMR) in Kyrgyzstan, aiming to address the country’s chronic electricity shortages. Kyrgyzstan relies on over 90% hydropower, making its grid vulnerable to droughts and aging...
Leaders From Caucasus and Central Asia Converge on Washington for Board of Peace Gathering
Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev and Kazakh President Kassym‑Jomart Tokayev are returning to Washington for the inaugural Trump‑administered Board of Peace, joining Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and possibly Azerbaijan’s Ilham Aliyev. The gathering will focus on Gaza’s reconstruction while offering a...
EU Weighs Sanctions on Georgia’s Kulevi Port over Suspected Russian Oil Links
The European Union is considering adding Georgia’s Black Sea port of Kulevi to its 20th sanctions package, accusing it of facilitating Russian crude shipments that fund the war in Ukraine. The draft targets four ports, marking the bloc’s first move...
Tajikistan: Rahmon Resurfaces, Looking Relatively Fit
Tajik President Emomali Rahmon reappeared after a 17‑day disappearance, confirming he had traveled to China’s Hainan Island for medical treatment. The brief silence, during which only sparse updates appeared on his official website, fueled speculation about his health and the...